Jhondie & Justin 4 A Season of Thanks
by Cat Carroll
Summary: It's their first Thanksgiving together, and they're looking forward to the holiday, but dark forces from the past are lying in wait. Please note the usual PG13 rating has changed to R for this one due to SML content.
1. Freeedom

Jhondie

Jhondie

"Mom!I will be fine I swear," I said for the thousandth time as we waited for her and Kayla's flight to Atlanta.Kayla was looking glum that I was staying in California for Thanksgiving and she was going to have to go to Georgia.Little brat was pouting the whole way to the airport.She had gone to the bathroom, and mom was fretting again about me being here by myself.

"I just don't like the idea of you being alone for the holiday," she said.

"I'm not going to be alone," I reminded her."I'm going to Justin's Thursday morning and I'm going to be there all weekend.Your parents are going to be much happier not to have me there, and I'm going to have a much better time with Justin than I am with them."We'd been through this a thousand times already.We always had Thanksgiving at home, but since this was our first year without dad, Irene and Charles had invited us to their place for "a change of scenery", translation, a way to try and get you to move here.I wasn't exactly thrilled, and was whining about it to Justin when mom decided that we would go.Mr. Carter overheard and invited me to stay with them for the holiday.That sounded much better to me.

"If I had known you weren't going to go…"Mom began, but I cut her off.

"Mom," I said softly, "Kayla should get to know her family out there.Trust me, it really sucks to have family out there that you want to get to know, but you can't."She had a million cousins in Georgia that she used to know, but hadn't visited in years because of me.Irene and Mom had gotten into an argument about me being around the cousins, so Mom said none of us would be out there then.This was the first time she'd been back to Georgia in a very long time, and it would be much less stressful if I weren't there.

Kayla came wandering back just as the announcement came that their flight was ready to board.She was so ticked that I didn't have to go.I had told her I had too much to do for school, but she wanted to stay too.I gave her a hug goodbye and whispered in her ear "Do that valley-girl thing for the boys there.They'll all be following you like wild dogs."She giggled and smiled for the first time that day.

"Bye Jhon!" she said, and grabbed her backpack.

Mom hugged me."If you need anything at all, call me day or night," she said.

I grinned."Like there's anything I can't handle," I replied.She knew what I meant.She smiled and I waited until they both boarded before I left the airport.I was eighteen and on my own for the first time since I was nine.I couldn't stop grinning like a loon.Yeah, I wanted my family for Thanksgiving, but the few times Mom and Dad had been gone for a weekend, I still had Kayla to look after.As of that moment it was all Jhondie.

Well, all Jhondie and Justin.Justin.Who would have guessed him and I would end up together?He was an awesome boyfriend though.We'd been together almost six months and he was still an awesome boyfriend.It was so weird for me to think of anyone as long-term.My longest relationship had lasted seven months, and the last month we were fighting so much, it shouldn't count.Justin and I had argued a couple of times, but it wasn't anything major, and we'd made up easily.I think a big part was that I could be honest with him. There wasn't any other boyfriend I had ever had that I could tell who gave me my necklace with the gold rose.

The necklace was a graduation gift from Zack.I had told him when I was graduating, but I wasn't really expecting him to show up.The ceremony was being held in a convention hall.I had gotten up to get my diploma, and when I glanced into the audience, I noticed a guy way in the back, standing in the shadows.Nobody else could have seen him, but I did.He knew it too.He made a hand gesture that meant "all clear".It also meant "good job".Then he disappeared.

There was a bunch of people coming over to the house afterwards to celebrate, so I wasn't expecting to see him there.I went upstairs to change, and on my pillow was a necklace wrapped around a note.The note simply said, "Congratulations baby sister.May life be sweet and free."The necklace was a beautiful gold chain with a wild rose made out of pink and green colored gold.I hadn't seen him since, but I was so glad he was there that day.

I almost wished Zack were going to be here today.Well, I did and I didn't.It was 8:00 AM, the day before Thanksgiving, and I was looking forward to a few days of freedom.Having Zack around, it was nice, but it was like having a parent around.I didn't think I was ready for Justin to meet Zack anyways.My relationship with Justin was growing, and I wasn't too sure how I was feeling towards him, but I knew for sure I didn't want Zack to try and scare him off.I really cared about Justin.

I knew he cared about me too.He was officially the first guy I'd dated who tried to understand me, and he was also the first guy to not let me rape him when I went into heat.God, that was so much fun.It had happened in August.Justin had gotten his internship with the LA Times (according to Justin: stupid fluff, no real journalistic integrity, nobody with a set big enough to write a real story) and he ended up going to New York for a week with one of the reporters.He came back and immediately came over.He didn't call first.I was so in heat.

All I can say is that I was glad Kayla wasn't there.Mom answered the door, and Justin came in, and before mom could say I was sick, I walked into the living room.I guess the best way to describe what happened was that the feline DNA took over and I pounced him.One second I was across the room, the next I was attached to him, my legs wrapped around him, kissing him harder than I had ever before.Justin later said I basically scared the hell out of him.Luckily mom was there.

She grabbed me, yanked me back, and slapped me as hard as she could.Basically, when I'm like that, only a good hard hit can knock some reality back into me."Cold shower now!" she ordered me, putting her body in between Justin and me.Good thing.I would have pounced again.I went upstairs, and while I was up there, she explained to Justin what was going on.I had told her Justin knew about me, so she explained what cat DNA does to my feminine cycle.He was gone before I got out of the shower.

I ended up sneaking over to his place that night.I was still in heat, and he was there.He was still up, writing up some stuff for the boss.He got up, and I tried to pounce him again, but he stopped me this time.I was all over him, trying to do anything that would get him into bed.He was responding physically and protesting at the same time.He finally grabbed my upper arms, and jerked me back, shoving me against the wall.

"Not like this," he said, his eyes boring into mine.

"Justin, I want to," I tried to say.

"No, you don't," he whispered."Jhon, I want to be with you, but not like this.Not when you're going to hate me tomorrow for letting it happen."That was something I'd never heard from a guy before."Go home," he finally said."Please, just go home, and if you still feel like this tomorrow…but you won't."I went home.

I didn't want to talk to him the next day.I was so embarrassed, but he made me feel better.He told me that if I had the flu and had a fever and coughing and was throwing up, he could deal with that.I had just been sick the day before, and what happened was a symptom of it.No different from sneezing on him.It was different, but I was so lucky he was trying to be understanding.The funny thing was that I did want to sleep with him the next day, but we didn't.It had been six months since we started really dating, and we still hadn't slept together.I was starting to think one of us was broken.

It was a refreshing change though.Every other guy I dated wanted to nail me as soon as possible.I had slept with a couple of them, but it was just a physical act.Felt good, but it was all physical.Now I had someone who I really cared about, but we weren't in a physical relationship.None of my friends would have believed it.I wasn't sure if I believed it myself.

He was such a great guy.I was heading over to the gym where he worked out and I was going to pick him up and then we had something light to do for the boss, and then we were going back to my house.I had promised to bring over my world-famous cherry yum-yum for dessert tomorrow.Justin was coming over to help me make it.More like try and figure out how I made it.I had brought it over a couple of months before and his dad and the twins almost died over it.Justin had made me dinner that night and I had brought over the yum-yum.We had gone out that night, and when we came back Mr. Carter and the twins had finished the yum-yum off.There had been a lot left, and the twins were on a sugar buzz for a week.When it was decided I was coming over for Thanksgiving, Brittany said I wouldn't be allowed in without a bucketful of yum-yum.I got the hint.

I was looking forward to this weekend.EO only needed us to do one small thing, and that would be done today, my research paper was caught up, and all I had to do was relax and enjoy my time with Justin.Sounded good to me.

Justin

I was finishing my last set of reps when a set of feminine hands grabbed the bar between my hands, and held the weights down.Jhondie was smiling down at me.It looked like I was holding the bar in the lowered position, but in truth, she was holding it down easily.I was stuck until she decided to let me up.She had learned though not to do it to me.I knew her sides and feet were ticklish.She was incredibly strong, but once I started tickling her, all she could do was laugh helplessly.I had found my Supergirl's kryptonite.

I lifted the bar, and hung it back up."Hey there," she said, smiling as if she knew what I was thinking.What I was thinking was how great she looked in those jeans.They were a little tighter than she normally wore, but I didn't mind.I did mind the other guys leering at her, but they knew she was all mine.

"Hey yourself," I replied sitting up.She looked just as good from this angle, especially when she leaned over on the bar.Not all of the sweat was from my workout anymore.God, she was beautiful.

"You about done?" she asked.Even if I had a million reps left to go, there was no way I was saying no to her.Today started her weekend with me, and I was planning on spending every moment possible with her.She was spending Thursday and Friday night over at my place, but I had sworn to dad that she would stay in my room, and I would sleep in the family room all night.Dad knew I was a man of my word.Lord, I wished I wasn't though.

"Let me take a shower and I'll be ready," I replied.I got up and gave her a quick kiss before hitting the locker room.It was amazing just to be able to kiss her like that.For the first couple of weeks after we decided to start dating it was hard to get used to casual affection.We'd been so determined before to just be friends, it felt funny to just take her hand whenever I wanted to, and it not to be yanking her out some kind of danger.We had both gotten used to it, and now it was hard to imagine a time when I was near her, and us not touch in some way.

I headed off to the showers quickly.Jhondie was great all the way around.We were keeping up with an incredible relationship and we were still partners working for Eye's Only.The stuff we were doing for him was far superior to the crap that was being turned out by the LA Times.My internship opened my eyes to the real world of journalism, and made me respect the boss so much more.I had Jhondie.I had my work.I was hitting the mid-point of my junior year in college.Life was great.

"Damn, buddy," Carlos said when I went to my locker to get my towel and shower stuff."You got legs like that waiting for you at home and you working out here?I'd be home 24/7 if I had a woman looking like that."

"I got to give her a break sometimes," I replied in the same arrogant-manly-man tone."Women are like cars.You run them too hard, they break down."There was a rumble of laughter from the other guys as I undressed and hit the showers.I wasn't about to tell them that I had yet to really touch the girl.We'd made out, but we'd never gone too far, and I had no idea why.It wasn't like either of us were virgins.I guess neither of us really wanted to push things and mess them up.

We'd been together six months, and I was closer to her now than I was to Denise after two years together.I was starting to see the difference between my relationship with Denise and this one with Jhondie.I was with Denise because we were in high school when we first started to date.Her father was a business partner with my dad so we saw each other a lot, and most importantly, she let me sleep with her.I was with Jhondie because I liked her.I could talk to her and most importantly, I trusted her.Denise scared the hell out of me.She was a nutcase, and after we broke up she did some freaky things that had me worried about the twins getting in her way.Jhondie was a genetically engineered killing machine and I wasn't afraid of her in the slightest.

Well, there was that one time when she went into…heat is the best way to describe it.The last thing I was expecting was for her to do one of her super-jumps and attack me in front of her mother.I had no idea what the hell was going on when Mrs. Harris yanked her off of me, ending her check of my tonsillectomy, and decked Jhondie.She sent Jhondie upstairs for a cold shower, and with a bright blush, explained to me what was going on.I had never even thought about that kind of problem.Jhondie showed up that night in my room, and I ended up sending her away.I was glad she left when she did.All I was thinking was about her lips and the way her body felt against mine, and her hands all over me.If she touched me again, she was going to be in bed in about two seconds if we didn't hit the floor first.She left instead.

I showered and got dressed and headed out, grabbing my gym bag.Jhondie was waiting for me with a smile.Before I could say anything, I heard someone yell my name."Justin!" Rick called out to me.I looked over at him."You got to come to the trainer's room," he said."Moose is going to do a four-fifty bench!"

I glanced over at Jhondie."You mind?" I asked her.She shrugged.

"Nah," she replied."Always amusing to see what's considered impressive," she continued in a very low voice.I guess lifting four hundred pounds isn't great to someone who could bench press a Buick.

We went into the Trainer's Room, and Lena, Moose's girlfriend ended up beside Jhondie."I love seeing them life like that," Lena bubbled.She was a true valley-girl airhead."Makes me feel you know all good to like have a you know, big strong man with me, you know?"

Jhondie had a tight smile plastered to her face."Yeah," she suddenly replied in that same valley-girl accent.She took on the whole persona, with the dumb head bobbing and all, and Lena didn't get it."It's like, whoa, oh my God, I am like you know so totally protected and some junk."Lena beamed in sisterhood and then we all turned to Moose who was lying on the bench, ready to do the press.

He took a deep breath, and put his hands on the bar, concentrating hard.He pushed up, his spotter helping him guide it, Moose's muscles straining with the effort.Moose lowered the bar, sweating a straining, and with a loud grunt, lifted the mass, the bar bowing under the weight.Everyone cheered when he had the bar fully up again.His spotter helped him get it back on the bench, and Moose sat up, triumphant.

There was a general congratulations from everyone, and the crowd headed out, Moose looking like he had been elected king of the world.I noticed Jhondie was looking at the weights.When everyone left she lay down on the bench.I went over to her and grinned down over the bar.

"Aww, is the little girl pretending she can like, you know, lift weights?" I teased.Jhondie grinned at me wickedly, grabbed the bar, and lifted it easily.She held it for a minute, and then did several reps. She put it back up and sat up.She hadn't even broken a sweat.Sometimes I can forget what she is.Then I get reminded.

"You ready to get out of here?" she asked.I nodded.I was more than ready to get this weekend started.


	2. Easy Assignment

Jhondie

Jhondie

The errand we were running actually had nothing to do with any cases we were working on.EO told us that another informant told him that there was a set of disks at a construction yard that was needed for something EO was working on personally.Apparently the company was doing little things like billing for so much concrete, but not really buying it, and pocketing the money.The construction was shoddy, and there had been two buildings collapse in Seattle, killing nine people.It was hard to revitalize an economy when the buildings were too dangerous to go into.

Boss-man thought that the owner of the construction company was in cahoots with someone else.The someone else didn't like competitors, and was making sure their places were unsafe to enter.A set of disks had just been sent to their LA office, and then run out to this construction site.EO didn't say what was on the disks, just that they were very important.He knew we weren't adverse to a little breaking and entering in the name of justice.It had rained yesterday, turning their site into a mud pit.There wasn't going to be any work today, so we figured we should be able to get in and out easily.

It was a little awkward, and a bigger exposure, having to take two cars, but I didn't want to waste time going back to my house, and then all the way back out here.That would have been two hours of my weekend wasted, and I wasn't going to give up any more than I absolutely had to.Saving the world was just going to have to take a backseat to having a good time this weekend.The boss might not agree, but I had a feeling he wasn't eighteen anymore, and when he was eighteen, saving the world was not his top priority.I left my car about a mile from the site and went with Justin the rest of the way.

This would be so much easier without Justin, I thought as we surveyed the site from a short distance.He had binoculars.I had my enhanced vision.There was a ten-foot high fence surrounding the place, and then the foreman's trailer was about ten to twelve feet from the fence.It would be easier for just me to go.One jump over the fence, a second to get to the trailer, and maybe thirty seconds to disable security and get inside was all it would take for me.I already knew not to try and suggest that Justin stay in the car.He did not make a good sidekick.He liked to be part of the action.

"It looks like there's a secondary gate near the trailer," he said.I could see that.That would be a much better place to go in.There was a small service road that went around the perimeter.The building site was up on a hill, and I was willing to bet there were some stairs or something.The back gate was probably for any brass that showed up.Wouldn't want anyone to get messy going through a dirty construction site.

"I don't see any cameras," I said, but I'm willing to bet there's a security system on the trailer.He didn't say anything.He knew I could handle it.I looked over at him and smiled. "In and out, get the disks, and then the weekend really begins." I said.I was so glad neither of us had classes on Wednesday this semester.

We drove around the perimeter.There weren't any cameras around, just a few "Beware of Dogs" signs.I couldn't hear any mutts.It was probably a bluff.Most places couldn't afford guard dogs, so they just put up signs.I had broken into a few places where there were signs but no dogs.The security here was pretty simple.Not even a rent-a-cop.Everyone was off for the holiday.This was going to be a breeze.As we got closer, I saw a single camera at the front of the trailer.That was easy enough.

There weren't any stairs, just a dirt path.It was now a mud path.Lovely.Oh well, I needed to go home and make the yum-yum anyways.I would just change my shoes then.I still needed to make one more protest before starting this.

"I can be in and out of there in less than two minutes on my own," I reminded Justin.

He rolled his eyes."I know."He was such a pain to argue with.He had already made up his mind and there was no turning back.Logic and reason had no place at that point.I thought about just jumping the fence and not picking the lock for Justin.No, he would just climb the fence and get stuck or something and then I would really feel bad.

I picked the lock in fourteen seconds.It wouldn't have taken that long normally, but it was hard for even me to keep my footing.I know mud is supposed to be good for you, but this was a bit ridiculous.My hearing was on alert for the high-frequency sounds of silent alarms.Nothing.This was going quite well.Justin stayed behind the trailer, and with an easy jump I was on the roof.The camera at the front was pointed down, letting me check the wiring.Some cameras have sensors that tell if they had their position changed.Nothing here.I disconnected the wiring, reminding myself to hook it back up afterwards.Didn't want anyone to notice it wasn't working.

I signaled Justin to move and he came around.I was already working on the keypad entry.It took less than a minute.Honestly, since I left Manticore, I had yet to find a security system that could present me with a challenge.Maybe it was because I was an adult now, but everyone seemed so amateurish.We went in and started looking for the disks.It was a problem because there were quite a few, but EO said they would be very distinct.Probably in locked case or something like that.

I started to look for a hidden safe while Justin went through the desks.There was the desk for the secretary, and then another for the foreman.He started with the secretary's.Was he deliberately wasting time?Secretaries do not keep secret documents.There had to be a safe or something where they would hide important disks.

"Damn it!" Justin snapped.I glanced back, seeing him holding a paper.He was glaring furiously at it.He looked up at me."One thing I learned from Dad," he said."It's always the secretary that knows what the hell is going on."I took the paper from him.It was a carbon copy receipt.A package had been couriered out to the site, but attached to the receipt was another slip.It was from the same courier company and said that a package had been taken to another office in LA.It had the destination, but it also had the words "computer disks" in the contents section.After the Pulse it became mandatory to list package contents, the only slightly helpful thing Martial Law had done for the US.Now it seemed the disks had been there, but they were already safely stored somewhere else for the holiday.This sucked.Oh well, not much we could do at this point.I memorized the address that the disks had been sent to and we got ready to leave.

We made sure that everything was back to where it needed to be and walked out.I wasn't thinking.I wasn't being careful.The brain was already situated on the weekend.I had already decided the disks were just going to have to wait.Maybe that night I would do some recon, but I was not giving up my weekend for anything.I should have been on full alert.We walked out, and I relocked the door.That's when I heard the growls.

Justin had been watching me, trying to learn how I did all of this.It was hard to explain.I caught the smell first and then half-a-dozen vicious growls.We spun around and there were six of the meanest looking dogs that I had seen in a long time, and I wasn't referring to Haille's friends.Their fur was standing on end, and all of them were looking at me.Not this again.

"Justin, this might be a bad time to tell you this, but dogs don't like me," I whispered.

"You don't do that animal DNA bonding thing?" he whispered back.Why did he like to pick weird times to be a smart ass?

"Actually, I think they can sense the cat DNA," I whispered.It was true.Dogs had never liked me.I had thought my dislike of them stemmed from the Manticore years when dogs were used as guards, but maybe it was more instinctive.I had never met one that liked me on sight.

The dogs were starting to close in on us, growling harder.We were going to be very hurt in about ten more seconds."Break left," I whispered quickly."I'll distract them and jump the fence."Before he could protest, I took off at a dead run to the right, full speed ahead.The dogs immediately took off after me, probably wondering as much as their doggie minds would allow why there was a human they couldn't catch.I was just going to run about fifty feet and jump the fence.One problem.The camera. Crap!

I changed direction and headed back to the trailer.The dogs were getting closer and I jumped high, landing on the roof.They were leaping and growling, but they were no match for that little feat.I motioned to Justin to stay put.The last thing I needed now was for him to try and rescue me off of the roof.I readjusted the camera, and looked at my options.One of the dogs had climbed up the stairs and was trying to leap up.I had to get caught by the smart ones.Okay.I had one option.I accelerated into a run as fast as I could, so fast that human eyes would have a hard time following.At the last possible second I leaped, my legs flipping out into a split, my body tucking in to become as aerodynamic as possible.I heard a slobbering growl just behind me and had a feeling that I had missed becoming dog food by an inch.Twelve feet.It was going to be close.

Justin

When she jumped off of the trailer I thought my heart was going to stop.Granted, there wasn't much of an option, but it was still scary to see her move like that.One second she was a blur on the roof, the next she was doing the long-jump.I didn't think she could see how close it was, but at the last second she tucked her entire body in, almost into a mid-air somersault, and cleared the fence by less than two inches.

If the ground had been dry, we would have been fine.She hit the mud hard and started to slide.She went backwards, I tried to catch her and promptly lost my footing.We both slid down the muddy slope, ending up in a heap by my car.I was dirty.Jhondie was covered from head to toe in black mud.She sat up slowly and looked at herself.Mud was caked in her hair, her clothes were brownish-black, shoes filled with the muck.

"If I hear anything from him for the rest of the weekend," she said with particular emphasis."I will find a way to make him pay."She fell backwards into the mud and groaned.I did my best to keep from smiling.She would have killed me.I was so glad we had two cars.I could laugh myself sick the entire way back to her place.


	3. The Unexpected

Justin

Justin

I was lucky that I had a couple of towels in my gym bag.Jhondie used them to keep from turning the cars into mud pits.She wiped off some, but she was still filthy.I ended up with more mud on me trying to help her than I did in the actual fall.I dropped her off at her car and followed her back to her place.I was hoping she wouldn't watch me in the rearview mirror.I was still upset about the disks, but I couldn't help laughing every time I thought of Jhondie covered in mud, sliding down the hill.

After I started working for the boss, I got into the habit of carrying a spare set of clothes in my car.It's come in handy a few times.When we got to Jhondie's, I grabbed them out of the back and went inside with her.

"I'm going to take a shower," she announced.I was hoping she would.I was actually starting to get a little worried about her.She wasn't looking like she was feeling good, and I saw her taking something when I came into the house.If she was taking her Tryptophan than she really wasn't feeling good at all.I hoped she would feel better later.She'd been looking forward to having the weekend off for a while.

"You mind if I borrow it after you?" I asked.She smiled and I had a sudden thought that she was going to invite me into hers.

"No problem," she replied and sauntered into the bathroom.She was going to drive me crazy, and I think she knew it.

Jhondie

I was starting to get the shakes.They were precursors to seizures.This was not the time for me to go into seizures.We'd already had one setback this weekend, and I didn't want another.I took some Tryptophan when I got home, hoping that it would stop them.Sometimes it would, sometimes it wouldn't. It's actually how Dr. Lee found out last month about me.I had some massive seizures in his office; ironically, they came on when I was getting my meds.

Justin had been there, and it was the first time he ever saw me have a seizure.He knew I had them, but it wasn't the same.Dr. Lee saw my barcode; the one he saw removed just a few months before.He wanted to know what was happening with me.He had been a neurologist in China, and he knew these weren't normal seizures.It was either tell him the truth or get a new supplier.He was shocked, but he said that he had heard about things like that in China.He'd been recruited for a secret government project once, but had refused.He never thought he'd meet a real live success.I wasn't feeling like a genetically engineered success story just then, but he was impressed.He said that he had to keep it as doctor-patient confidentiality, and so far things were good.I had been feeling pretty good until today.

Justin saw me popping some Tryptophan when he came in, but he didn't say anything.Maybe he thought it was just aspirin.I didn't want to worry him that I was getting sick.It was just part of being a screwed-up science project.You live with what you have to.I thought the Tryptophan was helping at least.By the time I got into the shower the shakes had stopped.This was a start.

The water turned black as I stood under the spray of hot water.I felt so nasty.I washed my hair twice and scrubbed a few times until the water was finally running clear.I was pretty sure that about ten pounds of mud had flowed off of my body and down the drain.You wouldn't think the human body could be caked in so much filth, but I had managed quite well.It felt so good to be clean again once I stepped out of the shower.

Justin was waiting his turn."You want me to throw your clothes in the wash?" I asked when I went into the hall.He didn't answer for a moment.It hit me that I was only wearing a short towel.It was habit for me to go to my bedroom in just a towel, so I didn't think to grab a robe before I went into the bathroom.I felt myself blushing a little under his intense stare."Justin?" I called.He jumped like he hadn't heard me."Your clothes?"

"Oh, yeah, sure, that would be great," he muttered."I'll just uh, hand them to you, you know…" or maybe he could just strip down right there.No, that was a bad thought just then.That was a heat thought.Was it that time?No, not even close.Why was it such a bad thought then?What was the matter with us?He went into the bathroom, and I had the urge to follow him in there and let the dice fly.He shut the door before I could.

A few seconds later the door opened a little and he handed me his jeans and shirt.I got a glimpse of a well-muscled leg before the door shut again in a hurry.I needed to calm down.It wasn't a serotonin drop causing me to shake again.I threw the clothes in the washer and put them on a cold wash.It was probably going to take a couple of goes to get them clean, but we had all day.

I went back upstairs to get dressed.I was starting to shake harder, and it wasn't from thinking about my gorgeous boyfriend naked in the shower.I needed some more meds.The hallway seemed a mile long.I grabbed the wall, my entire body trembling, violent jerks running through it in intervals.Just the beginning.Cody crying frantically.Needed meds.Legs spasming.Couldn't move.Falling.A thump.Somewhere I knew the thump was me hitting the wall, but it was a thousand miles away.Hands near me.Arms around me.Justin.

Justin

I had just gotten out of the shower when I heard a loud thump like something had just hit the floor.I yanked on my boxers and ran into the hall.Jhondie was on the floor leaning against the wall and curling in the fetal position, her body convulsing savagely.This was only the second time that I had ever seen her go through seizures, and the first time Dr. Lee had been there to help.I ran to her, and knelt beside her, not sure what I could do.

Her meds.Tryptophan.She usually had some in her purse.She had to have more up here."Jhon, where's your Tryptophan?" I asked, hoping she would be able to tell me.She said that sometimes the seizures were just uncontrollable shaking, and other times it was like a grand mal seizure when her entire body would be out of control.

"Desk," she gasped."Drawer."Her eyes met mine for a moment, and the fear in them tore at me.I knew she still equated seizures with being killed.Leftovers from Manticore I guess.

I jumped up and ran into her room, yanking open her top desk drawer.There was a large brown bottle in it.I opened it and sniffed the pills.Tryptophan has a very distinct grassy smell to it.This was it.I grabbed the bottle and went back to her.The convulsions were already getting worse.How many to give her?Sometimes she would start to get a funny look and then take one or two.Dr. Lee had given her like five when she seized at his office.

I poured a handful, kneeling beside her again.She tried to take them from me but her hand was shaking too violently to grasp, her fingers refusing to close on the pills.I held the pills up to her mouth, basically dumping in a few.She swallowed reflexively, and I held her for a few minutes until the shaking began to diminish.She was able to get enough control to take a few more and that helped bring the seizures almost to a stop.There were still a few aftershocks, but I could tell the worst was over.At least I hoped it was.Cody was walking back and forth meowing frantically.I kicked at him a few times and he finally went downstairs.The last thing Jhondie needed was to be worrying about her damn cat getting upset.

She was limp against me, and I figured that she needed to rest.I knew she didn't sleep but after what her body had just gone through, she needed some.I picked her up and carried her into her room, laying her on her bed and pulling the blanket over her.She was still wrapped in her towel, but I wasn't going to try and take it off and get her into something more comfortable.I'm not a perv, but I'm not a saint either.I took her hand and squeezed it lightly.Her eyes opened.

"I'm going to go downstairs, okay?" I said to her.I didn't want to go home and leave her.It was very possible that she could have more seizures.

"Don't go," she murmured, holding my hand, tugging on it lightly.Her eyes were already closed.Damn seizures really took it out of her.Her eyes flicked open, pleading with me.How was I supposed to say no?

I lay down on the bed, wrapping my arm around her waist so that we were laying spoon fashion with her back against my chest.We had the blanket between us, but I could still feel her body against mine.She was still occasionally jerking as the last of the seizure finished tormenting her body.In a few minutes she was still against me, her fingers intertwined with my hand that was resting lightly on her stomach.

She muttered something that I couldn't catch.Poor baby was already about ninety percent asleep."Jhon?Baby, what did you say?" I whispered into her ear.She snuggled tighter against me and repeated it.My jaw dropped and I couldn't breathe for a moment.

"Love you Justin."


	4. Looking for Forever

Justin

Justin

I didn't think I was going to be able to sleep after hearing what she said.Maybe I was mistaken, or not hearing the whole thought, but she said something that I was not expecting her to say.I ended up falling asleep though.She sure as hell wasn't letting me go, and I was comfortable lying there with her.She said she loved me, and I…I was starting to think that she did.

I woke up with an unfamiliar weight on my chest.My eyes snapped open, and I was staring into Jhondie's lovely light green eyes.She was propped up on her elbows, watching me sleep.I had no idea how long she'd been there.I wrapped my arms around her and succeeded in getting us both tangled up in the blankets.She was smiling and looked like she was feeling better.She leaned over and kissed the tip of my nose.I couldn't smile back, still thinking of the last thing she'd said to me.

"What's wrong?" she asked immediately.I had no idea how to explain.

"You…ummm…before you fell asleep you said…" I stumbled over the words."Never mind."

Her brow wrinkled in confusion, and I could almost see her mind replaying what had been said.She told me before she knew what was going on during the seizures, and they didn't cause memory loss like an epileptic seizure.Suddenly her eyes widened."Oh," she said in a small voice. 

"It's okay," I said quickly."Seizures, heavy meds…I will discount anything you tell me too."I was expecting a smile and a laugh.Instead our eyes met, and there were tears in hers.

"I love you Justin," she said simply.She let out a little embarrassed laugh, and put a finger against my lips."I'm not trying to get you to say or do anything.But, I love you and you deserve to know that's the way I feel about you."I didn't know what to say.

"Jhondie," I whispered, not wanting to break the moment.She leaned over and pressed her lips to mine before I could say another word.

"I don't want to hear anything forced," she said against my mouth.Rather than speak, I slid my hand up her back into her hair and held her into a long kiss.Her entire body relaxed against me as the kiss lasted and lasted, out tongues dancing sweetly around each other's.Her arms tangled around my neck, and I wasn't sure how, but then I was half on top of her and we were still kissing, passion and hot desire starting to rise in both of us.

One of her hands left my neck for a second, and then the towel still covering her loosened.Instead of touching cloth, her silken skin was under my fingers.I pulled back a little so that our eyes met, the question unspoken.A tiny smile touched the corners of her mouth.

"I want this," she said softly.She touched my face gently.God, she was so beautiful."I want you."Her hand went to the back of my neck, and she pulled me back to her.Our kiss was slower this time.I wasn't sure if this was a dream or not, but I was going to enjoy every second of it.With a light tug, the towel was off of her and on the floor.

I pulled back the blanket, and for a long moment drank in her nude beauty.Christ, Manticore got it right when they tried to make the perfect body.She blushed at my intense perusal.For a moment I was tempted to ravage first, and ask questions later, but it wasn't going to be like with us.Not her.Funny.I had been a pretty selfish guy in the past.But Jhondie…she was different.I didn't want her to regret this.

We kissed again, this time my hands roaming freely over her body, exploring her soft skin.I had no idea that skin could feel like this.She shivered as I found sensitive spots on her stomach and inner thighs.I finally dragged my lips from hers, trailing them down her neck, making her gasp as they headed to their destination.

My tongue ran around her nipple teasingly, making her cry out with desire.She grabbed my head and pulled me into her breast.Well…if she insisted…she was almost whimpering with pleasure as I sucked on her hard nipples, alternating between both breasts.I didn't want either to feel left out.She was damn near writhing on the bed, her hands tangled in my hair, and then running down my back.

It was amazing.Why didn't anyone tell me that pleasuring a woman could be pleasuring to yourself as well?Why was she so damn different?For the first time in my life, I didn't want to "just get to the good stuff".She was so intoxicating.Her scent.The taste of her skin.The desire in her eyes.This was so…I'd had sex plenty of times before.So this was the difference between sex and making love.It was the sweetness between us even with the passion.It was needing all of her, not just her body.It was the trust, the laughter, the times we'd talked for all hours about everything, it was the…oh God…I didn't realize…was I that dumb?The difference…I understood now.

Jhondie

I almost killed him when Justin suddenly stopped kissing my tummy and pulled back.Our eyes met and he looked…confused about something.He didn't need to be confused; he was doing pretty good on his own there.Dear God, he was doing good there.Most of my sexual experience was in the backseat of a car, that fumbling teen kind of thing.This was spectacular.

"Justin…" I protested, wanting him to continue."What's wrong?"

He suddenly grinned, his eyes lighting up."Not a thing," he said softly, the joy in his eyes almost painful to see."I just…it never…I'm not always the brightest person."What the hell was he talking about?I guess he could see my frustration."I love you Jhondie," he said, still grinning.

My eyes got huge.He put a finger against my lips."And not because of anything you said, or that I think you want to hear it.I love you."He leaned over and kissed me, sealing his declaration."I didn't know before," he said softly against my mouth."Didn't know that this was what it was like."The kiss deepened, saying more than words ever could.

He loved me.It wasn't just that he said it.I could feel it in his kiss, his touch, and the look in his eyes.I burst into laughter, and rolled over quickly so that I was flat on top of him.He was smiling again; that drop-dead gorgeous smile that made me want to melt every time I saw it.I kissed his mouth lightly, and then his chin and neck.His hands were still caressing me, but I wasn't going to be waylaid in my exploration of his body.

I rubbed my face against his lightly furred chest, inhaling the smell of his warm golden skin.My teeth scraped against his nipple making him jump a little.He deserved a little something back for stopping a minute ago there.His body felt like silk-covered steel beneath my hands and lips.I couldn't believe a man could be so hard and so soft at the same time.Speaking of hard…

I grabbed Justin's wrists and put his hands behind his head.He grinned wickedly at me, but he left them where I wanted them.My hands hooked into the waistband of his boxers, and peeled them down his legs.I was trembling with anticipation already.He was lucky I didn't just rip the damn things off of his body.Damn.I mean *damn*.I know skin is supposed to be the largest organ in the human body, but I think some comparative measurements were going to have to be taken to make sure.

Oh my God he was beautiful.I know men are supposed to be handsome, but he was beautiful.It was one of those bodies that should be sculpted or something.And it was all mine now.I lay down beside him, pressing my body close, feeling the heat from his skin burning into me.I smiled at him and then ran my hand up his thigh, pausing for a moment to get my courage up, and then ran my fingers lightly over the hard column of flesh.

Justin sucked in his breath, and let it out with a sigh.His eyes closed, and I wrapped my hand around him, stroking him slowly.

"Oh my God," he groaned, his breathing becoming more ragged as I continued the slow up and down motion.It was so erotic to see the mounting pleasure in his expression and movements."Damn baby, that feels so good," he murmured.

In a single fluid motion he grabbed my hand off of him and pressed me so that I was lying on my back.Our eyes met and my breath caught at the fire in his.He was breathing hard, and I could tell he was trying to calm down when he put his forehead against mine.

"You keep that up and it's going to be over before it starts," he said.I had to grin.He kissed me long and deep, my entire body going limp with the sensation.One of his arms was under my neck holding me close to him, and his other hand was once again exploring my body.God, I was so turned on if he didn't really touch me soon I was going to die from the sheer wanting.

His hand drifted down my breast and stomach, paused teasingly for a moment, and then he gently began to stroke the extremely sensitized skin.I almost jerked off of the bed as the intense pleasure flooded my body.If Justin hadn't been holding me tightly I might have fallen off of the bed.He kissed me hard, my arms around his neck keeping him locked against me as he continued rubbing and stroking.

I was totally lost in a world of sweet sensations.For all of my strength and ability, all I could do was lay in his arms, moaning and gasping as his hands and mouth did things to me, cause feelings that I had no idea existed.Oh God he was incredible.It had never been like this before.Ever since the escape I'd always had some control over what was going on when someone else touched my body.I trusted Justin.I loved him.The control I'd always kept, that part of me that had always been kept hidden, it was his now, and I wasn't sure when or how, but I didn't care anymore.

"Justin!" I sobbed, almost on the verge of tears as the tension built to a wild peak.

"Just let go baby," he whispered in my ear."I got you love."

He slid his finger deep inside of me, the pleasure intensifying exponentially, and sending me flying over the edge into an incredible climax.I cried out, my head back, body arched as the storm of sensation raged through my entire body.He kept me on the wild peak, easing me off gently, and then moved in between my legs.

Our eyes met as we paused for a moment, knowing that this would change everything forever between us.We never broke eye contact as he moved forward, gently pressing into my body.I couldn't help the low moan of pleasure as I felt him stretching me, moving with the sweetest friction until our bodies were completely joined.Both of us were gasping with the pleasure.

Justin started to move in a slow rhythm, leaning over so that our lips could still meet.My legs wrapped around him and we started to move together, matching each other's movements.The pleasure I thought couldn't be topped mere moments before flared up again even stronger this time.We started to move faster, flying together towards a wild vortex that had never existed before this moment in time.Oh God…

Both of us were speaking, low sounds between the sighs and moans of ecstasy.We moved together, and for a moment, it was like we had merged into one person.One voice, one heart, one body, one soul.Who was saying what?I couldn't tell anymore."Oh God.Need you.I.Baby, yes.Love you.Yes.God, I.Forever, love.Oh, yes sweetheart.Don't let go."I couldn't tell where he ended and I began anymore, and I didn't care in the slightest.I had been born for this man, this moment, and nothing else mattered.

Pleasure built wildly, every part of me feeling totally alive for the first time ever.Suddenly the passion peaked, every cell in my body contracting with pleasure so intense it was nearly agony, my fingers digging into Justin, tears sliding down my cheeks helplessly from the passion and desire.I could hear Justin crying out with his own pleasure as I felt his spasms deep within me.

We collapsed together in a tangle of sweaty limbs, holding onto each other like we were drowning.I could hear his heartbeat slamming in his chest, matching the runaway rhythm of my own.Our breathing started to slow and we relaxed against each other, my head tucked against his chest, the rest of our bodies as intertwined as possible.

"I love you," I said softly, not sure if he was awake or not.

He moved slightly so that he could look into my face.The tenderness in his eyes alone almost brought me to tears."I love you Jhondie Katherine Harris," he said emotionally."Forever."

I smiled, feeling a tear escape my eye."Forever," I echoed.He smiled back and we kissed softly.I snuggled back up to him and closed my eyes.Who would have guessed today would be like this?I thought we were going to get some disks and then make a dessert.Instead…we made a future somehow, someway.It wasn't clear, but it was there.Forever.


	5. A Day to Remember

//Author's Note: I've debated on posting this uncut, but I've decided to anyways

//Author's Note: I've debated on posting this uncut, but I've decided to anyways.It may be considered more intense than the last chapter, so if you thought the last one was over the top, please skip this and go to the next chapter.You're not really missing anything except gratuitous SML, and the reason why PreciousJax now has problems with eating anything on her bread while in the dining room.If you are easily offended or underage, PLEASE skip to the next chapter.Thank you. //

Justin

It was almost six when I woke up for the fourth time that day.Jhondie was curled up next to me with her head on my shoulder, sleeping peacefully.I watched my sleeping lover for a long moment, marveling at everything that had happened that day.My lover.She really was.She most definitely fulfilled the criteria in every way now.Why had we held off for so long?I didn't have to wonder.I knew the answer to that question.This wasn't just physical.It was a commitment to her.I wasn't planning on asking her to marry me or anything, but I could finally admit to myself, and to her, that I loved her.The difference between what I felt for her and what I had with any other girl I dated…it was the difference between a river and an ocean.

I knew I needed to get up soon and go home.I had promised I'd come home early and help Dad get some stuff ready for Thanksgiving.It was going to be a full house, and he wanted some help with some things.I tried to slide out from under her, but, well, ever try to move a sleeping cat?That's what it was like to try and move a sleeping Jhondie.They don't lift well; they more or less ooze out of your hands.Wait a sec, she was really sleeping hard.She was the one who had been engineered to have high stamina, to never get tired.I wore her out.Pardon the "guy moment" but… GO ME! GO ME! GO ME!

Maybe I shouldn't be bragging too much.I was lucky I wasn't in a coma.God, she was incredible.I've said before having a genetically engineered partner rocked.I had no idea how much it would rock to have a genetically engineered girlfriend.She had excellent muscle control.Hell, maybe it was just her.All I could think of was how we'd spent the day.Jhondie in bed.Jhondie in the shower.I sure as hell would never be able to travel their stairs again or eat dinner here without a smile.

We'd dozed together for a while after we made love the first time.Well, more like she dozed and I slept so hard I could have been classified as dead.I jerked awake when something next to me wiggled.I wasn't used to sleeping with someone, but it was the most amazing feeling to open my eyes and feel her in my arms, her head on my shoulder, leg over mine, and she was idly playing with my chest hair.We both smiled big at each other, and I knew for sure she didn't regret a moment of what had happened between us.Then her stomach growled loudly and we both started laughing.

We kissed, and I was more than willing to let lunch wait an hour as I got caught up in her sweet mouth."Justin!" she finally protested."I'm really hungry."She was too adorable to say no to.

I rolled over so that I was on top of her.Not the best tactical move on my part.I couldn't help the fact I wanted her again."And after we eat?" I questioned.She put her arms around my neck, and smiled seductively.

"After lunch comes dessert," she said suggestively.Worked for me.I hoped she had stuff for sandwiches.They were fast to make and fast to consume.

We got up, and she snagged my t-shirt and slid it on.It certainly never looked that good on me.We cleaned up a little before we went to go downstairs.I found my shorts on the floor, put them on, and then we went into the kitchen to hunt some food.I had to admit that I was getting hungry too.But, if Jhondie bent over one more time, lunch was going to have to wait.The shirt came down to her thighs, and when she bent over, I almost had an excellent view of her southern real estate. Damn, she was sexy.

She grabbed some peanut butter and jelly, and I had to admit that my first thought was not putting it on bread.We grabbed the lunch stuff and hauled it to the dining room.It was useless to leave the stuff in the kitchen when Jhondie was in the mood to eat.The girl could pack the food away.She was like a human garbage disposal.It was a little scary sometimes, but this time watching her lick the spoon was nothing short of erotic.She grinned at me, and I knew she was doing it deliberately.

I grabbed her and pulled her to me, the spoon dropping to the table in a small dribble of grape jelly."I'm not in the mood for peanut butter for lunch," I said and leaned down to kiss her deeply.She pressed her body against mine tightly, her hands running up and down my spine.I had a totally wild urge that I had to give into immediately.Resistance was not my strong suit today.

I picked her up while we were still kissing, her legs wrapping around my waist.She pulled back in surprise when I set her on the table, pulling up a chair and sitting down myself."What are you doing?" she questioned, looking a little confused.

"I told you," I said, grabbing her wrists."I wasn't in the mood for peanut butter."I bent my head down and let my tongue delve lightly into her sweet flesh.She gasped sharply; her body jerking in what I was hoping was pleasure.From the look on her face, I was pretty sure she liked the sensation.I was certainly enjoying it.

She let out a small moan, and leaned back.I let go of her wrists so that she could lie back on the table, her legs over my shoulders, while I continued my ministration on her.I had never really liked doing this, and consequently was pretty inexperienced, but I was learning quickly, letting her movements and noises of pleasure tell me when I was doing things right.She had told me before that she'd never had a guy go down on her before, and I had a feeling that this was not going to be the last time I ever did this to her.

She tasted wonderful though, like honeyed wine.Her fingers threaded through my hair, pressing me against her.Her breath was coming in short gasps and I could tell that it wasn't going to take much more to drive her over the edge.I had never brought a girl to orgasm like this before, more like just enough to say I did it, and then right to the good stuff.I was so hard I was in pain, but I didn't want to stop this.Feeling her arousal, hearing her pleasure and knowing that I was the one making her squirm like this, that was the good stuff.Everything else was icing.

"Justin," she moaned."Oh God, I…I'm…" Her legs suddenly tightened around me, her fingers clinching tightly in my hair, her body arching to my mouth as she climaxed, a small shriek of pleasure escaping her.I kept it up, prolonging her pleasure as long as I could until she collapsed back onto the table, gasping hard.

I stood up, pulling her up to me, cradling her against m chest until her breathing calmed down.I wanted more than anything to just take her right there, but feeling her shaking in my arms I figured if I didn't let her calm down first I might hurt her or something.She snuggled against me, holding on to me like she was drowning.I was feeling pretty darn good about myself just then.

"I thought you were going to wait until after lunch for dessert," she said after a few minutes, looking up at me with a teasing smile.

I grinned at her wickedly."I plan on it," I said."I just never mentioned appetizers."She laughed and I finally let her move away so we could get some food.

Jhondie

Lunch was interesting to say the least.I wasn't sure if I was going to be able to walk after what he did to me, but I finally managed to get my legs to work again.I had just found something my body liked more than food.I felt a little bad that Justin didn't get anything out of it, but he wasn't complaining.He was looking rather smug as a matter of fact.I couldn't say much.He deserved a little smugness after that.

We finished the sandwiches, and then I surprised him.One of the nurses from the hospital had a greenhouse, and she grew strawberries.I had gotten some from her, thinking about some information we needed to get from Dink concerning a case, but I figured out a much better use for them all of a sudden.I grabbed the berries from the fridge, and pounced him in his chair.

I straddled his lap, my knees on either side of his thighs.He liked it.I could tell.I had the strawberries behind my back and pulled one out.I rubbed it against his lip, and he quickly bit into it.A little of the juice ran down his chin, and I licked it off.Our eyes met, and games were concluded right then and there.I jumped off of his lap, dropping the berries onto the table and ran for the stairs, Justin in hot pursuit.

We would have made it to my room had Cody not been on the steps.Cody was still pissed that Justin had kicked him out when I was seizing, and had been waiting on the steps to bitch at me when I went back to my room.It was his usual MO when he was mad at me.I wasn't looking at the floor, and tripped right over him.He jumped up and ran off with a loud yowl, but it gave Justin a second to catch up to me.He grabbed me around the waist, and we both tumbled to the steps.

"Almost kiss at my, oh my God don't you dare stop, room," I choked out, his mouth on my neck, his hands doing some rather wonderful things.

"Same as a mile," he muttered, not letting me up for a second, and at that point, I really didn't want him to.I wasn't sure how he did it, but his hands never left my body and he still managed to get his shorts off.He yanked my t-shirt off, kissing the exposed skin.Oh my God.We could have been in the middle of a stadium during half time at the Superbowl and I wouldn't have cared.I wanted him now.

He slid inside of me in one easy motion.It was a little awkward on the stairs, but I was designed to bend a little more than the average person.I would have thought after earlier I wouldn't want it so much, but I did.I could tell that Justin tried to go slow at first, but he was too worked up, and I sure as hell wasn't in the mood for gentle right then.I encouraged him with body and lips and words until we were both moving together in a rhythm that could almost be considered violent in its wildness.

It was familiar and new all at the same time, and exciting beyond belief.There was no way either of us could control the passion that was spiraling wildly.A white-hot wave of pleasure washed over me, my entire body contracting with the intensity of the orgasm.Mere seconds later Justin suddenly cried out, and collapsed on top of me, our sweaty bodies sticking together.Don't ask how, but we made it to the landing, and just lay there for a bit, our bodies still entangled.I was so glad I was sure mom was across the country.If she had walked in on that…hell, at that point it's like go away or grab a camera.

We snuggled together for several minutes, neither of us wanting to move.Justin was almost on the verge of going to sleep when he yelped suddenly, and jumped up.Cody was at our feet, and he was smiling.If you've ever seen a cat smile, you know what I mean.They only do it when they're being evil.Cody meowed rather smugly and sauntered off.Justin was glaring at him.

"Little bastard bit my toe!" he complained.I started to laugh.Nobody could tell me animals were unintelligent.Cody planned that.He was waiting for Justin to fall asleep and then bit him.I love my cat.Justin looked morally offended at my laughing.

"Laugh at me will you," he said menacingly, and then dropped down and started tickling me.I shrieked and tried to get away, but I was naked and he could get to all of my ticklish spots.Not fair!

"I'm sorry," I squealed, laughing so hard, my sides were hurting."I give up!I swear!" He finally stopped tickling me, and we both lay on the floor, the last of the giggles fading from us both.He held me against him.I loved the way his body felt against mine.We were such a perfect fit.I had no idea that two people could fit like pieces of a puzzle.

We lay together for several minutes when I sighed."I need another shower," I said.I was rather sticky.You read trashy romance novels, and they describe beautiful romance scenes between the lead characters, but they never mention certain things like cleaning up.Sex can be messy, especially after the third time.I really needed a shower.

"Me too," he replied.I could feel him grin in my hair.That was an interesting thought.I wondered if he could again so soon.Nah, we'd just get cleaned up and maybe lay down for a while.That would be nice.Better than being on the floor at least.

"There's room in there for two," I said.He laughed.We dragged ourselves off of the floor and went into the bathroom.

"You set the water," I told him.He shrugged.

"Whatever's comfortable for you," he said.I had to roll my eyes at his "guy" tone.

I wrapped my arms around him.God, he felt good."I won't notice temperatures that will scald or freeze you, remember?"He leaned over and kissed me.It didn't really bother him if I reminded him that I was different.It still bothered my mother when I mentioned my weird genetics, but Justin just accepted it as just another thing about me like my eye or hair color.No wonder I loved him.

He got the water going and we both got in.It felt a little funny to be in the shower with someone else, but it made getting my back washed much easier.The hot water felt wonderful on my skin, and lathering each other felt even better.He turned me around to wash my back, and I moved my hair to keep it from getting soapy.He leaned forward and started kissing my neck, making me shiver.He kept it up, teasing my neck to where it joined my shoulder, his hands sliding around me to play with my breasts.

I spun around, kissing him passionately under the water.I was wrong.He was ready to again that soon.I wasn't sure if I was though, and a thought occurred to me, filtering through the fog of desire he managed to create in me.Something I had never done before, but wanted to do to him.I started kissing down his body, caressing him, trying to get the courage to do it.I wasn't sure if he knew my intent, but he wasn't stopping me.

I ended up on my knees in front of him, caressing him, loving the soft sounds of pleasure he was making.I looked up at him, and the desire and longing for what I was going to do was so evident, there was no way I could turn back now.I leaned forward, feeling a little timid, and ran my tongue up where my hand had just been.Justin's breath caught, his hand grabbing the back of my head.I had a feeling he didn't want me to back off.My heart was pounding as I took him into my mouth.

"Oh my God," he groaned out, leaning against the wall for support.It was more exciting than I thought it would be to do this to him.I thought about what some of the girls at school had said about going down on their boyfriends, things their boyfriends really liked.They thought they were good?I didn't need to breathe, and I had much better muscle control than they did.I took a deep breath and relaxed my throat, taking all of him in.

For a second I couldn't tell if he was in pain or pleasure as I tightened my throat muscles around him.His fingers clinched in my hair tightly, keeping me right where I was.It was a very good thing I didn't need to breathe."God, Jhon, baby, that's incredible!" he gasped out as I continued to relax and constrict around him.I pulled back and then started sliding him in and out of my mouth, moving faster, his hands in my hair encouraging me.It was so erotic to have him like this, like touching him earlier, but a thousand times better. 

I kept up the rhythm, learning as I went.I never thought I would like doing this to a guy, but I was really getting into it.His hands were buried in my hair, and he was moaning and gasping.I could feel the tension building in him, and I wanted to finish him like this."Jhon," he gasped."Baby, I'm going to…oh, God."I knew what was going to happen.Suddenly he cried out, his fingers tightening in my hair and pushing me so that I was taking him deeper into my mouth, his entire body going rigid as he came.I had been told the taste was really salty and gross, but at the moment, he tasted wonderful to me.

I let him go, and he sank down the wall, barely able to breathe.With a foot I kicked off the shower, and pushed the water knob down, turning it off.It had gotten cold at some point, but neither of us had noticed until just then.He held me against him for a minute.I was really turned on, but it could wait.We did have forever.

"So," he finally said."Were you taught that as a way to kill a man, or are you just naturally talented?"I laughed.

"You complaining?" I asked playfully.He pretended to think about it.

"There's worse ways to go," he finally replied.We kissed.This was only the start of our weekend together.I wasn't sure which one of us was going to go first, but I had to agree, if you had to go, there were worse ways.

Justin

We had spent the rest of the day snuggled together in some way.For a while we just watched TV together in the living room, Jhondie leaning with her back against my chest, petting Cody on her lap.It was rare I just spent a day lounging, but today, I didn't want to share my Jhondie with anyone.She was mine.I didn't want to let go of her for anything, and she was acting just the same over me.I didn't mind in the slightest.It kept her close to me.

We ended up back in her room, making love again.I just couldn't get enough of her.It was more like a dream that time, incredibly slow and ethereal and I never wanted it to end.Love, passion, desire, need, it all came together perfectly with us.We held each other close afterwards, neither of us able to summon the will to move and inch, and eventually fell asleep still wrapped in each other's arms.

When I woke up, I knew it was time for me to go.Not that I wanted to, but I had to.It wasn't a comfort that I was going to see her the next day.We sure as hell couldn't spend it like this.Well, there was always the rest of the weekend.After trying to move her off of me, I leaned over and kissed her softly.

In one swift motion she was flat on top of me, pinning my arms and grinning."Where do you think you're going?" she asked.

"You know I can't spend the night," I said with a sigh.I wanted to.But, if I called Dad and said that I couldn't come home, that was going to lead to questions, and I wasn't in the mood for that kind of phone-interrogation.He had been gracious enough to switch Family Dinner Night to Tuesday this week, and in exchange I had to be there tonight, but after five at least, to help out.

She kissed me hard, her hands leaving my arms to do some much more pleasant things to other parts of my body.Then she stopped suddenly."You going to think about that tonight?" she teased.I grabbed her and rolled over so that she was pinned under me.I kissed her just as hard, fondling her intimately.

"Actually, I'm going to be thinking about that," I replied, and then jumped up fast while I still could.She threw a pillow at me.I ducked it, and then started to hunt for my clothes.


	6. The Rest of the Story

Justin

Justin

The twins were running around the house taking care of the detail work for tomorrow.You know, making sure there was toilet paper in the bathrooms, the candy in the candy dish was edible and that there wasn't anything that could terrify someone hiding in the closet.Dad was with Jackie in the kitchen.It was just like him to get a chef as a girlfriend the month before Thanksgiving.I shouldn't say that.Jackie was actually pretty decent, and Dad liked her.She wasn't clingy and she could cook like a god.Dad said she was a lot of fun, and since she owned her restaurant they could talk business kind of stuff together and be interested in each other.

I poked my head in the kitchen.I was going to help, but I needed a few minutes to clear my head.All I could think about was how stupid I was for leaving.I could be there right now with Jhondie curled up against me and instead I was home.Whatever Jackie was cooking smelled nothing short of divine, but it didn't compare to Jhondie's scent…damn it, get your mind off that subject!

"I'm home," I said evenly.I didn't want anyone to notice that there was anything different.Dad didn't give me a weird look so I was pretty safe.Jackie glanced up at me and said hello before turning back to the pots and pans and something I couldn't identify.

"Have a good day?" he asked.I may have blanched a little.He had no idea how good it was.

"Yeah," I replied, still being cool."I've just got to run to my room for a minute, and I'll be down in a few."I got out of there, and ran up to my room, glad that I didn't run into a twin.I was not in the mood for one of them today.

I opened my window and sat down on the sill, hoping the fresh air would clear my head a little.All it did was make me think of Jhondie being in there.I could easily see her perched on the edge of my bed or sitting with me by the computer, or sprawled out on my floor surrounded by paperwork.I had to smile a little.I could be a little obsessed with her.I loved the girl.

My door was half-open, but there was a light attention-getting knock and then dad walked in.Dad grabbed a chair and pulled it up, plopping down casually.That's when I noticed he was carrying something.He handed me an ice-cold bottle of beer, and I took it gratefully.Dad didn't care if I drank, so long as it was light and I didn't take his stuff.For him to share his imported beer, he must really have something on his mind.

We both sat there for a minute drinking in silence.I like my beer cold, and this was very refreshing.Finally dad broke the silence."You serious or just messing around?" he asked.Most people would be shocked that my dad would be so blunt, and expect me to lie immediately, but we had an agreement.I'd always be honest with him and he would do the same for me.It sounds a little cheesy, but it worked for us.Dad knew he could trust me, even if a lie seemed better, like the time he flat out asked me if I had snuck out and gone to a party he didn't want me to go to.I told him I had.He knew there were drugs there and asked me if I took any.I hadn't and told him so.He believed me.I could ask him anything, and when I was younger had asked him some damn embarrassing questions about things he was doing then, or had done and he always was honest with me.It worked for us.

I didn't have to mince words with him at least."I love her," I replied simply.Dad knew I had told Denise I loved her, but I had never admitted it to him.There was a big difference.I smiled, knowing I was looking like a total dope."She's incredible, and…and I love her."

Dad smiled.I knew full well that he had a pretty good idea how Jhondie and I spent the day."Jhondie okay with that?" he asked.I grinned wider.I couldn't help it.

"Very okay with that," I replied with emphasis.Dad understood what I was saying.I leaned back, thinking for a minute."I never realized how different it could be," I said, more to myself than him.Telling my father this might seem strange to some people, but we had a very different relationship than most fathers and sons."It's…it's…and she's so…damn, why didn't you ever tell me it was so different?"

He was grinning rather superiorly at me."Would you have believed me?"I laughed.It wasn't belief; I just wouldn't have understood it.Not until now.There was something I was curious about, and I thought that maybe now I could get it when dad answered.

"I know this is a little inappropriate to ask considering Jackie is downstairs and everything, but…" Dad snorted.Appropriate questions and me were not well acquainted.Well, I am an investigative journalist."But how did you know?With Mom I mean.How did you know that she…" I wasn't sure how to finish.

"Was the love of my life?" he finished for me.I nodded, and he sighed, looking almost sad as he thought about her.Happy and sad at the same time.It was a strange expression.Then he smiled.I was taking a drink when he answered."It was technically the morning after we met when she broke through the door of my hotel room, said "Excuse me senor," yanked off her dress, and jumped right under the blanket with me in bed."

I choked.I had a mouthful of beer that ended up half on my shirt, and half in my lungs.That was not a mental image you wanted of your mother.Under no circumstances did you want to think of your mother acting like that.Dad was laughing at me now as I coughed and sputtered.That was not funny.Oh God, he may have just ruined my love life there.

Dad decided to let me off the hook and explain what had happened."Right after I graduated from college, my roommate Adam and I decided to go to Tijuana to celebrate.We flipped a coin, and he won.He got to have the first night to get totally drunk off his ass, waking up in a pool of vomit kind of drunk, and I had to stay mostly sober to make sure he got back to the hotel, and the next night he would return the favor."

"So we were at this bar and he was getting drunk beyond drunk.He was drinking everything but the water that night.Anyways, there were these two lovely senoritas at one table, and one of them was just as determined as Adam to get just as wasted.She started dancing with him, well, more like drunken stumbling and pawing on the dance floor, and I ended up sitting with the one who was still sipping her first beer of the night.So that's how I met your mother.We sat there talking while we watched Adam and your future aunt Maria Theresa make jackasses out of themselves.We probably would have dragged them off earlier, but we were enjoying talking and they were just too funny to watch."

"We got a little engrossed in each other, and the next thing I know, Maria Theresa is stumbling out of the bathroom, and Adam is missing.I have to excuse myself and go look for the idiot.Constanza said that she would be at the bar the next night, and I had told her where we were staying, so I knew there was a good chance I would get to see her again.I really wanted to.She was different from anyone I had ever met before."

"Adam had said he wanted to go to another club.It was a few blocks away, and I went there to look for him, but he wasn't there.After about an hour I decided to go back to the hotel to see if he went there before I started poking through the alleys of Tijuana.I go back to our room, and when I went into the bedroom, there was Adam and Maria Theresa, both butt-naked and passed out.Maria Theresa was on the bed, but Adam was on the floor beside the bed."

Dad glared at me for a second while I tried to get my laughter under some kind of control.I knew that Aunt Maria Theresa had been a hell-raiser when she was younger, but I had no idea how bad she really was.She had gotten pregnant seventeen and married Uncle Hector, but it seemed now like that didn't calm her down in the slightest.I was starting to understand why her daughter Marta had come to live with us for about a year when I was a kid.Dad continued his story.

"We had rented a two-room suite.There was a living room, and a separate bedroom.The living room had a foldout couch and that's where I was sleeping.I lay down, and about an hour or so later the door to my room flies open and Constanza comes running in.She slams the door, looks around, then says, "Excuse me Senor," yanks off her dress, and jumps into bed with me.I had talked with her enough to know she wasn't exactly that forward of a girl, but before I could find out what the hell was going on, the door crashes open again."

"This huge hulking brute comes lumbering into my room, and Constanza starts shrieking at him.My Spanish was pretty good, but it was still hard to follow."

"How dare you come in here!" she yelled.He blinked looking more than a little confused.He was pretty well plastered himself and you know Hector.He's not the sharpest knife in the drawer to begin with."

"Where's Maria Theresa?" he demanded."I want my wife!"Now I was starting to get it.If he saw Adam and Maria Theresa, they were both dead."

"Do you see her?" she yelled back at him."I was the one that went to the hotel with my lover, not your wife.You go back to your hotel and leave us be!"She grabbed my arm, and pressed herself against me, glaring at him.I knew that I better play along or I was going to be able to take Adam home in a laundry basket."

"Senor," I said very firmly, standing up with the blanket around me.Hector could see that Constanza wasn't wearing anything under the sheets, and I was acting like I wasn't wearing anything, so it made the story look good."Your wife is not here.I did see her in the bar with Constanza and she said she was going back to her hotel.Now if you don't mind, you may leave now."He glared at me, but I didn't back down.He was big, but he was drunk and I thought I had a good chance at taking him."

"You're hiding her," he accused Constanza."I'm going to sit right outside this door until she has to come out."Then he stumbled out, and we heard him plop down on the floor."

"Constanza collapsed onto the bed, letting out a big sigh of relief."I am very sorry," she said quickly."I would have explained, but there was no time, and if Hector caught Maria Theresa cheating on him again, he would have killed her and your friend."She sat up, keeping herself covered."I am very sorry," she said again.

"I smiled, and laughed a little.Hell, Adam and I wanted a little adventure when we went to Mexico."Your sister is here," I told her."They both passed out in the bedroom."I handed her her dress and went to the bathroom for a minute to get my jeans and give her some privacy to get dressed.She appreciated me being polite.When I emerged, she was dressed, standing in the doorway of the bedroom, one hand on her hip and the other on her forehead, and she was muttering some rather creative things she was going to do to her sister."

"She looked up at me and smiled weakly."Hector is still there, and she's too drunk to move," she said."

"I shrugged."You can just stay here and let her sleep it off," I suggested.She gave me a suspicious look."No strings," I said quickly.I grinned at her."I wanted to see you again, I just wasn't expecting it this soon."

"She smiled for real at me, and I almost fell over.She wasn't pretty.She was beautiful."I wanted to see you again too," she admitted.After we were married, we told each other that by that point, we were both sunk.Somewhere hearts had become involved.We ended up staying up and talking, and got to know each other.I had no idea there could be someone so incredibly wonderful.We weren't ready to admit it, but we both knew we'd found our soul mate."

"Hector ended up falling asleep in the hallway, and about seven in the morning.Your mom practically dragged Maria Theresa out of the hotel.She was so hung over it wasn't funny, but when Constanza said Hector had found her, she sobered up pretty quick.The idiot didn't even stir when they walked right over him to get out."

"I asked Constanza if I could take her to breakfast.It was the least I could do since she saved Adam's life.She laughed and said that she had to accept.It was the least she could do since I helped save Maria Theresa's life.It was her last day in Tijuana.Maria Theresa had gotten into a fight with Hector and decided she needed a vacation.Constanza went with her to make sure she didn't get killed, especially when Hector followed his wife out there.We spent the morning together, and then I asked her if she would mind getting lunch with me and she agreed.But she couldn't have dinner because of her flight back home."

"I joked with her that she could make it up to me by having dinner with me that Saturday.She laughed and reminded me I was going to be back in LA.Then all of a sudden we both got serious, and I realized that I didn't want her to go.I had only held her hand that day, but I already couldn't stand the thought of being without her.I told her that I would leave Saturday open."

"She left, and my vacation wasn't that memorable from that point on.I missed her.I went back home, and your uncle Justin called and tried to get me to go out with him.Told me I needed to meet some other women.He reminded me that you can't fall in love in a day, and I was just infatuated.I told him to go to hell.Saturday I was depressed as hell and then about seven that night there was a knock on my door.I yanked it open ready to tell Justin that I didn't want to meet some surgically-enhanced bimbo, and there she was."

"Constanza smiled at me, looking more than a little nervous."I'm sorry I'm late," she said."Traffic was terrible."I couldn't say a thing.I swept her up in my arms and just kissed her.Three months later we were married."

I leaned back against the window and took another drink.So that's how my parents met.No wonder Dad waited until I was older to tell me.I hoped it was going to be a while before he told the twins.I could see Hector and Maria Theresa just like that though.They were Catholic so divorce was not an option, but at last count they'd separated seventeen times.

I understood how my dad felt.I couldn't imagine my life without Jhondie now.Even before today, I couldn't imagine trying to live without her.She was part of my life in ways I was just discovering, and I loved her being there.I had missed her so much when I was in New York.I thought about my parents, and knowing what they had, how had dad survived being without her?I didn't know if I would want to live in a Jhondie-free world.

"Do you still love her?" I asked before I realized I was going to.

Dad nodded slowly."I am reminded of how much I still love her every time I see you smile, or Brian glares at someone, or Brittany laughs.I date other women because I like the company, but I have never been with one that made me feel anything like she did.Like she still does every time I think about her."

We both sat in silence for a few minutes.I finished my beer.Dad cleared his throat and looked very nervous.It was the bad news look and it meant there was something very bad happening."Son, I need to tell you something," he said.Oh God, that sounded bad.I knew my grandmother was going to be here tomorrow.She was coming to meet Jhondie, tell me she was terrible and get me back with Denise.There was something worse coming.

"You know George is coming over for Thanksgiving," he began.I knew that.George was a partner of Dad's.Him and his wife had split up four years before and she had moved back to Boston.Two of George's kids were in high school when the divorce happened and they wanted to finish school with all of their friends.The kids went to their mom's for Thanksgiving, so George would have dinner with us."George called me today and said that he had two unexpected visitors," Dad said the way a doctor would tell a patient bad news.

"Oh God, no," I groaned, seeing what was coming."Tell me it's two of the boys, please?" I begged.George had five sons and a daughter.He had five sons and a psychotic nutcase of a daughter to be exact.

"It's Mitchell and Denise," Dad said.

The jerk that went through my body was actually an instinctive gesture to throw myself out the window before my conscious mind could stop my body.It would be better to die from flinging myself out the window than ever deal with the psycho hose beast ever again.The last few months of our relationship went through my head in a second.The graffiti on the sidewalk, the screams, the threats, the claw marks, the voodoo doll, the other things too frightening to think about.I groaned again, putting my head in my hands.Jhondie was going to be there.The psychotic versus the genetically engineered.I was so fucked.


	7. When Evil Returns

Jhondie

Jhondie

I was still floating more than walking when I rang the Carter's doorbell that afternoon.I had my bag with my clothes and stuff for the weekend, and I had a bucketful of cherry yum-yum.I was still feeling giddy over everything.Justin had been all I could have ever hoped for.It was like a dream made real.I knew we were going to have to be good today, and at some point we should go and get the disks for EO, but I was sure we could squeeze in some alone time.

We were going to have to be good today.Justin said his very conservative grandmother was going to be there, and I knew that he didn't want to have to deal with her telling him he needed to make up with his ex.For some reason his grandmother liked Justin's ex-girlfriend.I told him I would make a good impression, but I think that worried him a little more than helped him.My view of good was sometimes slightly skewed.At least I was dressed nicely though.Justin said that dinner was a dressy affair, so I was wearing a knee-length dark green dress.It had spaghetti straps over the shoulders and criss-crossing down the back, but that was covered with a jacket.It was one of those suits that went from very professional looking to very sexy by just taking off the jacket.I knew Justin would approve later when it was just he and I and I took off the jacket.

Justin answered the door, and he looked very relieved when he saw that it was I there.Was he that worried about his grandmother showing up?He grabbed my hand and took me into the kitchen quickly.He looked really worried about something.I put the yum-yum in the fridge before it could melt, and then waited for him to explain.

He put his hands on my shoulders, his eyes boring into mine."Jhondie, I need to tell you something," he said urgently."I just found out last night, and I had no idea this was going to happen, and I am really, really sorry, but…" the doorbell rang again, and Justin winced.I heard Brittany yell that she had it, and the door opened."Just remember that I was serious yesterday when I told you I loved you," he said quickly."No matter what, promise me you'll remember that."

Whatever was going on, it was important to him for me to promise."I know you do," I said quietly."What's going…" my words were cut off by a feminine squeal.

"Justin!" a girl cried out happily.I could literally see his hair stand on end.He straightened and turned around, and suddenly she flung herself at him, her arms wrapping possessively around him, kissing my boyfriend.To his credit, Justin peeled her off of him quickly.He glanced over at me, his expression pleading with me not to kill her.That was the only thing that saved her nasty little life at that moment.

She pretended not to notice that he practically shoved her off of him.She was smiling hugely, giving him a knowing look, like "I know you're just pretending in front of the girl."Justin quickly wrapped his arm around my waist.She didn't know it, but that was the only thing keeping me from jumping her rank ass at that moment.I had promised him that I would be good, but this was pushing my limits.

"Jhondie, sweetheart," Justin said, with a very fake polite smile plastered to his face, "may I introduce Denise O'Malley, my father's partner's daughter.Denise, this is my girlfriend, Jhondie Harris."That was Denise?THE Denise?I had always pictured a twisted psycho-looking chick, with unwashed tangled hair, and dirty nails and claw marks on her face.I was wrong.She was beautiful.I mean, like magazine cover, movie star beautiful.She had beautifully thick dark red hair that flowed in un-frizzed waves down her back, and bright emerald green eyes.She was tall and slim with long legs, and a perfect smile displaying some very good orthodontic work.

"Nice to meet you," I said politely, with the same false smile that she was giving me.Her expression was very clear.You don't stand a chance against me.Mine was a warning.He's mine.You had your one and only freebie.One more finger on Justin and I was going to make sure it took a team of California's best plastic surgeons to repair her pretty face.

"Well Justin, it looks like you've been keeping secrets," she said, staring at me."How long have you two been together?"

"A little over six months," he answered quickly, still keeping a tight hold on me.He knew that I didn't want to hurt him and that was the only thing keeping me from shoving him off of me and kicking her back to whatever pit she had crawled out from.I'm really not the jealous type.I just have a problem with another woman putting her hands on my man.

"Oh, that was right after I moved to Boston," she said looking sympathetic.She shot me a little glance.A man might not be able to interpret that, but I could.He started to date me after she was gone and he couldn't have her.I knew the truth.It was actually right after the judge upheld the restraining order that she moved and he felt it was safe to date again.

I remembered suddenly that Justin didn't like her in his bedroom, and that always had upset her.I smiled sweetly at him."I need to put my stuff in your room," I said.His eyes sparkled as he realized what I was doing."Did you make a little room in your closet like you promised?"

He smiled."Of course I did, love.Use what you need like usual."I caught Denise's expression in my peripheral vision.She looked like she wanted to claw my eyes out.Bring it on bitch.If she wanted to start a catfight I would be more than happy to show her how it was done.

I smiled at Denise."Mr. Carter was nice enough to invite me to stay for the weekend while my mom is visiting her parents," I said.For a brief second she looked outraged, then reverted back to her smile.Mr. Carter had never let her stay overnight here.Justin said his dad was worried she might suffocate a twin if she thought one of them was distracting Justin from her.Justin told me once that he wanted to break up with her after about six months, but then she flipped out and the rest of their relationship was based on fear.

"Don't be long," Justin said.Our eyes met, and I could feel my stomach flutter.That wasn't for Denise's benefit.He leaned over and gave me a quick kiss before releasing me.I brushed past them and ran up to Justin's room.

I was furious by the time I got there.That bitch!I could not believe her nerve touching my boyfriend!I wanted to hit something, anything, but it would be rude of me to put my fist through the wall, and putting my fist through Denise would be excessive.I was pacing furiously in Justin's room, trying to work off the anger.This was my weekend with Justin.Now, I was going to have to deal with her.If she even thought about trying to get with him this weekend…even the slightest hint of "let's get together" and I was going to peel the skin from her nasty little…

"He's not interested in her in the slightest," Mr. Carter said from the doorway, interrupting my mental rant.I froze and turned to face him.He looked amused.He could afford to.He didn't know that I knew dozens of ways to kill someone in a painful manner."I know my boy," he continued casually."And I know that between you and her, she doesn't stand a chance."

"She kissed him right in front of me," I growled.

He nodded thoughtfully."She probably wanted to do more," he commented."Just remember, she's very jealous that Justin has moved on with his life.She might not want to admit it, but even she can see how he feels about you.That's not something she ever really got from him."

I had to smile at that.She really couldn't come between us, and if she decided to flip out, she was going to learn that it was impossible to intimidate the genetically engineered. Unless of course Lydecker was her date, but I doubted that.What could she do?I knew more about weapons, psychological warfare, explosives, and butt-kicking in general than she ever could.And most importantly, Justin was in love with me, not her.

The doorbell rang again."That would be my mother-in-law," Mr. Carter said.I had to bite back a laugh.His expression was the exact same as Justin's when he realized Denise was here."Denise is nothing," he said in a low voice."This is the real dragon."Now I did laugh.I had faced down guards, guns, helicopters, and dogs that all had orders to terminate.This couldn't be nearly as bad as that.We both took a deep breath and headed downstairs.


	8. Polite Conversation

Justin

Justin

My first reaction was "please do not leave me alone with this nutcase" when Jhondie left to go up to my room, but I knew she needed to calm down.I did not want her to go off on Denise and rip her head off or something.Jhondie could probably come up with some pretty vile ways to ensure Denise never walked back into our lives again.A few more hours, I thought to myself.In a few hours they'll be gone, and Jhondie and I can just laugh about this.I hoped we would be able to laugh, and not be in a hospital emergency room.

"She's cute," Denise commented when Jhondie left."A little young, what is she…16, but cute."She smiled at me.I'm pretty sure that was the smile Delilah had when she cut off Samson's hair."You look wonderful though."It was starting already.She jabbed with an insult, and then followed up with a quick compliment so that I would thank her and say how good she looked, and then have to ignore the insult to my girlfriend.

"She's eighteen," I said.Denise blinked.I had dodged her.One thing about working for EO, you learn how to handle sticky situations, even without having genetically engineered backup."You know me, I'm not going to get twisted in a relationship…dating someone that much younger."Her smile slipped a notch but she recovered quickly.

"Daddy told me you got that internship," she said.I felt like I was walking blindfolded through a minefield.Denise said everything for effect.She was dropping Jhondie for now.She was plotting her next move.I knew that much for sure.

"Yeah," I replied."Worked for the LA Times.Even went to New York with one of the reporters for a couple of weeks.I learned a lot."Actually what I learned was that my boss was what I wanted to be like more than ever.

"Must have been hard being gone from home like that for the first time," she commented."Visiting family is one thing, but being on your own…a little tougher."She was making pleasant conversation.This was scary.

I shrugged."Wasn't bad.I was too busy to be homesick anyways."She smiled wider and I flinched internally.She liked that answer.I wasn't sure why, but she did.That was therefore, a very bad thing.

"Justin," she said, looking a little embarrassed and chagrined."Since we have a moment to ourselves, I just wanted to say that I'm terribly sorry for everything before.I hope we can have a nice holiday together and start fresh."

I smiled.I was going to be nice to the head-job.It would make her leave all that sooner if she didn't think there was a fight to be had.She liked to win fights.That was probably why she tried to run me over when I told her we were through and walked away.She just had to get in the last word."I'm looking forward to a nice holiday myself," I replied honestly.I was.My weekend had started great, and I knew it was going to get better after today.

Dad and Mr. O'Malley came into the kitchen.Sweet relief.Denise hadn't attacked me yet, and I emphasize yet, but I still didn't want to be alone with her.She was mental before, and I wanted proof that she had changed.Nice words were not going to change my opinion of her in the slightest.

"Hi, Mr. O'Malley," I greeted, shaking his hand.It had been a few months since I'd seen him.Between Dad's business, and my dating Denise I used to see him every day, but now I was too busy to go to Dad's business, and Denise was best left to the pits of Hell she crawled out of.

Dad looked around."Where's Jhondie?" he asked casually, but shot me a worried look.He knew Jhondie was here somewhere.If only he knew how worried he should be.

"Jhondie?" Mr. O'Malley asked.

"My girlfriend," I answered quickly."She's spending the weekend with us."I looked over at Dad."She went upstairs to put her stuff up."

Dad nodded."Okay, well, your grandmother is going to be here in a second, so you might want to go into the living room with the twins and wait for her."Thank you Dad.He knew I didn't want to be alone with Denise for two seconds if I could help it.We went to leave the kitchen, and he whispered in my ear, "I'll check on her," and went up the stairs.I wasn't sure if that was a good thing or not, but I couldn't protest and then try to explain why it really could be dangerous to be within six inches of her right now.Dad went up the stairs and we went into the living room.The twins were talking to Mitchell who looked a little confused as usual.It figured.They were already his mental superiors.

"Hi Mitch," I greeted.He got up and gave me a stern look.You'd swear sometimes that I was the one who tried to stalk and kill Denise instead of the other way around.All of her brothers were big, football player-sized guys.They were a big reason that I started working out so much.I wanted to make sure I could defend myself against one of them.Now I could see why Mitch came.Denise decided to come to LA, so he decided he would come too so that he could protect his little sister from evil bad me.Christ.And I had a pissed genetically engineered killing machine to contend with.

"Hi Justin," he said coolly.

"Did Jhondie bring it?" Brittany broke in.She never liked Denise, or her brothers, so Jhondie had a little hellion as an ally as long as she brought the pay-off.

I grinned."As requested, she brought a bucketful," I replied.Both the twins started grinning evilly.In a few hours they were going to be feeling mischievous and they were going to be on a sugar buzz.I almost, not quite but almost, felt sorry for Denise.

The doorbell rang.I took a deep breath and answered it.Maybe next Thanksgiving I would just grab Jhondie and we would run off together for the holiday.Family was too stressful to deal with especially when right now I would rather be alone with my woman. I opened the door and there was Nana.She was glaring at her cab over her shoulder.Her cab was peeling rubber to get out of there.I couldn't say I blamed him in the slightest.

"Fool thinks I'm some old lady he can take advantage of!" she snarled in rapid Spanish.Nana's English isn't very good, and when she gets upset, it's Spanish all the way.Luckily I've kept up on mine and so has Dad and the twins."He thinks he can come late and then get lost so that I have to pay a higher fare," she continued."Ha!I showed him!"

Nana doesn't look like she should be tough.She's barely over five feet tall, and very petite, and I think she's still very pretty for an older woman.She's taken good care of herself over the years.Her hair is still long and black, and her dark eyes were still bright and active.I had to smile.Nana wasn't going to change until the day she dropped dead, and sometimes I wondered if she would even change then.She'd probably be telling the Grim Reaper that he was doing it all wrong.

She stopped ranting and then looked up at me and smiled."Well, child, are you not going to invite your old grandmother in?"

"I'm still thinking about it," I teased, then leaned over and hugged her."Happy Thanksgiving Nana," I said.I was one of the few people that could get away with teasing her.Even Maria Theresa couldn't do that.She really liked me.Maybe that wasn't such a good thing.If she didn't like me she wouldn't be concerned about my life and whom I was dating.

She came in and immediately the twins were hugging her.Even after Mom died, I made sure we spent a couple of weeks in the summer in Mexico so that they would still know our grandparents.Our grandfather didn't like to make the trip to the States, and I had a feeling that was because he was worried about being arrested for something, but Nana came up on Thanksgiving.Nana hugged them back, genuinely pleased to see them, complimenting them on how big they had gotten since last summer.Brian was finally starting to outgrow Brittany, and he seemed especially pleased over the compliment.

Nana looked over at Denise who practically beamed."Hi, Mrs. Alvarez," she said in halting Spanish.Hers was lousy.I had never heard Jhondie speak Spanish, but I knew she knew several languages.I had never asked if she knew Spanish fluently.Denise hugged Nana who was looking pleased to see the future mental patient."I was so glad when Daddy said you were going to be here!" Denise said, stumbling over the words.Nana knew she had to speak very slowly in Spanish to Denise.

"It is good to see you again my dear," Nana replied.I wanted to gag.I glanced over to the left and Dad and Jhondie were coming into the living room.It was going to begin now.

"Ramona," Dad greeted with a smile.I recognized the expression.It was the same one I had trying to make myself be polite to Denise.Neither set of my grandparents had approved of my parent's marriage for some reason, so relations were slightly strained even after twenty plus years.

"Thomas," Nana greeted, like a queen addressing a peasant.Her eyes lit on Jhondie who glided over to me.Nana approved of good posture, she said it spoke volumes about a person's upbringing, and Jhondie was moving like she had a whole set of encyclopedias balanced on her head.Jhondie probably didn't realize she was doing it, but she always glided like that when she was mad.I think it had to do something with the cat DNA coming out.

Jhondie stood beside me quietly for a second, and then kicked my foot slightly to get me to introduce them.This was not my spunky, outspoken Jhondie.Christ, she had been reading those etiquette books again.Nana caught the little by-play, and for the barest second, a real smile lit her eyes.She had said more than once my manners were reprehensible.The polite thing was for Jhondie to be introduced, not for her to introduce herself.

"Nana," I said, "may I introduce my very good friend Jhondie Harris.Jhondie, my grandmother, Ramona Alvarez."Now what?

Nana paused for a second, testing Jhondie.Maybe this was some weird female ritual.Denise was looking pissed.Whatever was going on, if it was upsetting her, it had to be a good thing.Nana held out her hand."Hello, Miss. Harris," she said formally.Now Denise beamed.Nana had called her by her first name from the start.

Jhondie took her hand in a polite shake."Good afternoon Mrs. Alvarez," she said in flawless Spanish."Justin speaks of you so highly, it is nice to finally get to meet you in person."Nana looked a little surprised.The girl beside me spoke Spanish perfectly and was soft spoken, polite and well mannered.I was still waiting for Jhondie to show up.


	9. Thanksgiving Dinner

Jhondie

Jhondie

I can honestly say that I don't care enough about Irene to hate her, but I do intensely dislike her.As I was introduced to Justin's grandmother, I had the most sickening feeling that I was going to have to bite the bullet and thank Irene though.Just to annoy her I had learned proper etiquette.Now it would seem that Mrs. Alvarez liked seeing such a well-mannered person.If she only knew that there was a babe in jeans and an obscene t-shirt waiting to escape from the sweet demure girl before her.

There were a few minutes of that awkward milling thing that you have to do waiting for dinner to be ready.I was introduced to Mitchell whose eyes never went above my chest and they were plastered to my butt if I turned around.Mrs. Alvarez watched me carefully, but not enough to be rude as she talked to the twins about school and to Denise about what she was doing in Boston.I managed to keep everything nice and polite for four minutes and then told Justin I was going to go help his dad in the kitchen.He was wise enough to let me go.

Mr. Carter didn't look surprised to see me in the least.He grinned."You lasted longer than I did," he said.I had noticed the tension in the air between him and his mother-in-law.It was talk-show kind of thick.

I slumped my shoulders, and muttered a crude obscenity in French."I feel better now," I said.He laughed."I hate being perfect," I said.He shook his head.He didn't realize I was being serious.

"I didn't know you spoke Spanish," he commented, putting the rest of the stuff on the salad.There were a couple of radishes left to rosette, so I did them quickly.

"I have an ear for languages," I replied.I tossed the radishes on the salad.Everything was on the table.It was time. I went back into the living room, and had to bite back a laugh.Denise was trying to stand next to Justin, but Brit was shoving her way in between them, and clinging to his hand.She was a little old for that, but it was annoying the hell out of Denise.I was so pleased.

I smoothly came up and took Justin from Brit.She shot me a hellion look and I grinned back at her conspiratorially.I think Mrs. Alvarez noticed the by-play.She glanced at me, and the tiniest touch of a smile hinted on her mouth.Justin was trying to talk to Mr. O'Malley, but Mitchell was butting in with dumb comments and Denise was starting to pout that Justin wasn't paying attention to her.Maybe this dinner wouldn't be pure misery.

"Dinner is served," Mr. Carter announced from the doorway.Thank God.We all filed into the dinning room.Mr. Carter and Mr. O'Malley were at the ends of the big oval table.Justin sat next to his father with Brian on the other side of him.I sat next to Justin, and was across from Mrs. Alvarez.Brittany sat next to me with Mitchell across from her and Denise to his left.I was rather proud that Mr. Carter had managed to get Justin on the opposite end of the table without it looking obvious.The man was very intelligent.

Justin had warned me that Thanksgiving dinner was always started with a prayer.It was mostly for his grandmother's benefit, and I thought it staved off a lecture that Mr. Carter was raising his children to be godless heathens.I'd heard that from Irene more than once.Justin and I had never really discussed religion, but I knew he had been baptized Catholic as a baby, and he knew I did believe in God.That had surprised him a little, but I hadn't been in the mood to explain it.That would have meant talking about Manticore, and I hated talking about that hell, even to Justin.

Mr. Carter gave a short prayer, and proceeded to start carving a beautifully cooked (Jackie *had* been busy) turkey.Justin knew this guy that raised them, and well, long story made short, managed to get the guy something he wanted in exchange for a bird.There was a ton of food on the table, and I was almost positive that there might be enough to fill me up.Justin had teased me more than once about my over-active metabolism.I think it has something to do with not sleeping, but I could usually eat twice as much as him.What could I say, my body was designed to be on high gear, and it needed to fuel to compensate.

Mrs. Alvarez was looking at me a little funny as the food was being served."Tell me," she finally said, addressing me."I noticed you crossed yourself before the prayer.Are you Catholic?"

I smiled."Yes, I am," I replied.Justin caught that and looked over at me, the surprise evident on his face.Denise shot me a dirty look, and Mrs. Alvarez looked pleased.What did I say this time?

"You did not know?" she asked Justin."I would think that would be something very important you would want to know."I thought that I just might be starting to like the woman just a little.She didn't let anyone get away with anything, and she noticed things.It would seem Justin got some of his traits honestly.I had thought he took after his dad, but there was definitely some maternal influence in there.

"When did that happen?" he asked me.I could tell he was wondering if I was lying or not.

"When I was twelve," I replied smugly.

He took a drink.Mr. Carter had some excellent wine that went very well with dinner."You never mentioned that," Justin said, looking at me strangely.

"You never asked," I shot back, and took a bite of the stuffing.Oh, there were cranberries in it.Please let there be leftovers for tonight.Justin could sneak up to his room while I was there all he wanted.I was going to be sneaking into the fridge for thirds.In any case, I was not going into an explanation of my decision to become a Catholic now.That would make for interesting dinner conversation.Then again, if we started discussing the many ways I knew to cause great suffering before death, maybe Denise would stop leaning over her plate so that everyone could see her cleavage.I wasn't fabulously well endowed myself (I doubted any of my sisters really were, we had been designed and it would be harder to be super-soldiers with something bouncing in front all the time) and she was doing her best to show that she had some perky assets of her own.To his credit, Justin wasn't looking, but I had noticed Brian glancing down the table at her once or twice.

Mrs. Alvarez was trying not to laugh at our little by-play.I had thought she might be like Irene, but I was pleased to see a sense of humor there.Justin said his mother had one.Maybe she had gotten it from her mother."You are not all sweetness," she said to me with a smile and then turned to Brian who wanted to tell her aboutI wasn't sure, but I think she just complimented me.

"Denise's one flaw was that she wasn't Catholic," Justin whispered into my ear.Ah, so that was why the skank ho got mad.The food was fabulous, my lover was by my side, and his psycho ex was furious.I took a sip of my wine.Yep, it was easy to count the things I was thankful for that year.

Justin

Nana's biggest flaw was that she liked to arrange things to suit her.She had come up here with the intention of arranging a marriage between Denise and me.But, as dinner progressed, I was hoping that she was changing her mind.I had told her that Jhondie was perfect for me, and I thought she was starting to see that for herself.Nana had always been big on religion, and even though I wasn't, had always harped on me that I needed to find a nice Catholic girl when I was ready to settle down.Denise had said she didn't really care about religion herself, so Nana had decided that Denise would convert a few months before our wedding.I wasn't sure how she would arrange that, but knowing Nana, she would find a way. 

It wasn't that I was afraid to stand up to my grandmother.As a matter of fact, I was one of the few people that actually would.But I did want us all to get along.I loved my grandparents, and wanted to be able to still take the twins to Mexico without hostility, and I liked the idea of maybe taking Jhondie down there the next summer.Jhondie had been confused about the sweetness remark, but I understood it.Nana believed in manners wholeheartedly, but she didn't confuse politeness with weakness.She had said more than once that a man needed a strong woman by his side in order to stay strong himself.That's why she had liked Denise so much.She just didn't realize that Denise's strength came from being severely mentally unbalanced.

"You did not go to Georgia with your family?" Nana asked Jhondie.They had been talking about family, and Jhondie said that her mother and sister were in Atlanta for the holiday.

"No, it was better that I stay," Jhondie replied.I paused in my conversation with Dad, wanting to hear if Jhondie could explain her relationship with Irene without using the phrase "stuck-up heifer".Jhondie looked just a little embarrassed for a moment."My grandmother and I have differing opinions on many issues.It would be far less upsetting to my mother if I was not around her mother."She smiled."Mr. Carter was kind enough to invite me over for Thanksgiving, and that seemed to be the best solution of all."

"Oh, how sad you don't want to be with your family for the holidays," Denise practically chirped, oozing with false sympathy.I could see the hairs on Jhondie's neck stand up.Denise smiled sweetly."Bradley practically begged me to stay in Boston, but I told him that I always spent Thanksgiving with Daddy."She sighed deeply."He's just the sweetest thing, but since I don't get to LA as often as I like…well, family always should come first."

Practically begged?Yeah, that probably meant he said "have a nice time, see you later" and then ran off to enjoy the company of the sane for a while.If he even existed.Still, it was a direct slap to Jhondie, and if she got any tenser, she was going to snap like a rubber band.The difference being, instead of a little bruise you might get with a direct hit from a rubber band, Denise was going to become one huge bruise from head to toe, and I doubted if the four men in the room could pull an angry Jhondie off of Denise.To be honest, I wasn't sure if I would even try.

Jhondie shrugged."I'm just not the kind of person to deliberately cause trouble if I can help it," she said smoothly."My father passing away in April was very difficult on us all, and I would hate to cause my mother more stress now."Damn, my girl was good, and from that little touch of a satisfied smirk on her face, she knew it too.Jhondie knew psych warfare.By mentioning her father's death, she grabbed all the sympathy, and Denise couldn't say anything about Jhondie's family or she would look like the heartless bitch that she was.

I'd never seen Denise totally confounded like she was then.Her entire plan of attack had just been defused, and she had gotten burned hard with no comeback available.Before she could think, Brit had jumped into the verbal warfare going on at the table.

"So who's Bradley?" she asked.Now Denise beamed, liked she was remembering meeting the love of her life.She was probably thinking about a small animal she had run over a few times just for fun.

"We met at this charity event a few months ago," she said, with an elaborate sigh."It was to raise money for a children's hospital.He was coordinating part of it, and we met, and well…. we've been together ever since."She was staring straight at me, waiting for a reaction.She was waiting for me to ask her if it was serious between her and Bradley.She was going to be disappointed.I leaned over and asked her father how his crop of tomatoes did this year, ignoring her completely.

I could tell Denise was getting more and more frustrated as dinner went on.That worried me because when she was thwarted, she normally did something very drastic.It wouldn't be immediate, but it would be very spectacular when it happened.Jhondie ignored her in a subtly obvious way, keeping her conversation with Nana and Brit mostly.Brit started talking about Mexico, and how much she loved spending summers there, and that Jhondie just had to go down and see our grandparent's place in Cozumel one day because it was just so pretty there she would love it.With her little-girl innocence, you might think it was cute.I knew the little brat was plotting.She was acting like Jhondie was her big sister, something she had never done with Denise.Jhondie was just part of the family.

It seemed to take forever, but finally dinner wound to a close.The twins had cleared the table while Jhondie and I got the dessert stuff out.I ignored the gagging sounds the two hellions made when I kissed Jhondie while we were in the kitchen and thanked her for not killing anyone.She smiled sweetly, and told me the night wasn't over yet.Then she winked at Brit, who smiled back.God help me, they were working together suddenly.


	10. Yum Yum

Jhondie

Jhondie

Justin didn't notice when I took out both the bowls of yum-yum.I had brought two so that we could have some with dinner, and then his dad and the twins would have plenty for later.Justin had been helping Bryan bring some stuff in earlier and Brit whispered to me that everyone would stay for hours talking.I could handle dinner.I was not going to be pleasant to that nasty hose-hound for too much longer.Drastic action was going to be required, and luckily my little Manticore mind was built for speed and tactical maneuvers.It was just a matter of timing, and I had always been good at timing my moves just right.

I knew that Denise wasn't going to be able to stay still for long.She wasn't capable of it.Sometimes the best tactic is to lie low and scope out the situation, but she didn't know how to strategize properly.She'd gotten nailed hard, but couldn't go all psycho during dinner.She was trying to impress everyone and be the perfect girl.I was sick of it, and if she displayed herself in front of my boyfriend again, she was going to be the perfect dead girl.

While Justin had his back turned, I whispered a few instructions to Brit.Her eyes widened, and she looked at me with new respect.Her father and brother were trying to control her tendencies for mischievousness, and here I was coming up with something that would drive them nuts.She was so pleased.

Brit practically bounced back into the dining room.She was muttering, but I could hear what she was saying.I could almost see the nauseated look on her face as she muttered about how disgustingly cute Justin and I were being.She picked up the dishes and bounced back into the kitchen.I was grinning while I finished slicing the pumpkin pie.Brit was waiting for my signal.

I heard Mrs. Alvarez start to get up and say she was going to see if we needed any help, but then Denise jumped up first and said she would go and "get those two little lovebirds moving".How cute. She was going to have to be the mature one.Bitch.

I nodded at Brit who grabbed the yum-yum and headed for the door.The connecting door swung both ways, and it flew open just as Brit got there.She stumbled forward a step, like her weight had been against the door, and suddenly she was holding a mostly empty bowl.

Denise stood there for a moment numbly.Yum-Yum is basically a mix of cream cheese, whipped cream, graham crackers, and cherry pie filling.The whipped cream slid down Denise's hair, while the cleavage she had so flagrantly displayed was filled with cherry filling.The final insult was a glob of a mix of everything that slid off of her chest, down the front of her cream-colored dress, and landed with an audible plop on the toes of her designer pumps.

Her eyes opened and for a moment locked with mine.The fury that glittered in those emerald eyes would have scared most people, but I met them levelly.Don't play with me little girl.You've no idea what I am capable of.This was just a cute way of asking you to leave.Next time, I won't be so nice.That wasn't a threat.It was a promise.

Justin

For a moment I wasn't sure if I was going to fall to the ground laughing or ducking for cover as a blob of the yum-yum fell down the front of Denise's dress (one that had been a favorite of mine) and landed on her shoes.She knew damn well that Jhondie had planned this.The look she shot Jhondie was nothing short of murderous, and I knew that Jhondie's cool smirk just made her madder.

Brit broke the moment of tension with a loud wail."Oh my God!" she cried out, looking terribly distressed.Faker."I'm so sorry!You opened the door, and…and…." She looked like she was about to burst into tears.And the Oscar goes to…

Everyone in the dining room was jumping up now and coming over to help Denise.I could tell Dad and Bryan were on the verge of laughter, but they knew better.Nana took one look at Jhondie, who by that time managed to look very concerned and was coming over with some hand towels, and Nana knew Jhondie had masterminded it.Nana was good at knowing stuff like that.Mr. O'Malley had this expression like the sky had fallen, and Mitch…well; Mitch only had one thing to say.

"Sissy, you're filthy!" he declared in all his dense glory.That broke it for Denise.

"I know I'm filthy!" she shrieked, sobbing piteously.Tears were clearing tracks down through the cream cheese and whipped cream on her face, catching the graham crackers like boulders in a river.I was biting my lip to keep from laughing.

Jhondie held out a towel that was rudely snatched from her hands.Denise wiped her face, looked at the mess, and almost started wailing.Her lips were trembling, and for once I didn't think it was just for effect.She had been totally floored that Jhondie would do such a thing.It was something she would have done, and I could only guess that she didn't think there was anyone who could get as low-down nasty as she could.

"Umm…umm…"Dad stumbled, trying to keep an explosion from happening.He'd lived through a Denise rampage.It wasn't something you ever wanted to see twice in a lifetime.We'd been through many."Maybe you can go to the bathroom and clean up and, umm…Jhondie, you have some spare things here?"The moment he said Jhondie's name, I knew what he was going to say, but it was too late to stop him.Oh hell.

"I do," she said innocently, eyeing Denise, "but I don't think I have anything large enough."

The sudden outrage shut Denise's tears off like a faucet.Denise was a few inches taller than Jhondie, and maybe ten pounds heavier.She was probably just a size larger, but the insult was ice cold.Jhondie sounded so concerned, Mr. O'Malley didn't get it, but Denise sure as hell did.

"Daddy," Denise said slowly, with trembling dignity, "I want to go home now."

"Of course, sweetheart," he said quickly.He went to put his arm around her, but stopped himself.I guess being his daughter wasn't enough to get him to touch that sticky mess.I wished that three years before I had known she was a sticky mess then too.I might have kept my hands off then.Maybe not.I wasn't very bright back then.

It didn't take long to get them out of the house.I ran upstairs and got a couple of towels for Denise to sit on in the car.She was sniffling again.Jhondie and Brit were behind everyone, and as I went upstairs, I glanced back at them, and saw Brit give Jhondie a low five behind Jhondie's back.I had to stifle a groan.They were going to be like that now?That might be more frightening than Denise herself.

Brittany had adopted Jhondie as her sister the second Saturday of September.How could I possibly know that it was the exact date?That was the day that Dad had to take out a new client, so I couldn't reach him, and then that afternoon, Bryan came downstairs and announced that Brit had locked herself in the bathroom and was crying.I spent twenty minutes outside the door, trying to calm her down, find out what was wrong, and figure out what to do next.Calmness, sympathy, threats, nothing was working, and all she was doing was screaming at me to go away and leave her alone.Bloody hell, what was the matter with her?

Jhondie called to ask me if we were still on for that night.I told her the situation, and asked her if she had any idea what was wrong.There was a slight pause, and then I heard Jhondie call out, "Mom, an eleven year old girl is locked in the bathroom, crying hysterically, and being mean to her brother, any ideas?"I couldn't hear what Mrs. Harris said, but then Jhondie started to laugh.This was not funny.

"Justin," she giggled."Umm…do you know if she's started yet?"

"Started?" I snapped."She's been in there for almost half an hour!"Now Jhondie was laughing even harder.What was so damn funny?

"Has she had a period before?" she finally got out.I felt my body turn to ice.Oh God.No.I was not alone with my baby sister, and she was…ah, hell, that was a girl thing, what was I supposed to do now?All I could think of was a line from a pre-Pulse movie "Miss Scawlett, I don't know nuthin about birthin no babies!"

"Get over here now," I whispered."You can talk to her or something."That cut Jhondie's laughter off cold.

"About what?" she asked seriously.

"Girl stuff!" I almost shouted.I lowered my voice."I don't know…whatever it is that moms or older sisters are supposed to say to a girl when she…when she…"

"Me help her?" she interrupted, lowering her voice, "like I know what it's like.If she was in heat, I could help, but I don't know anything about this!"She sounded like she was about to panic.

"Jhon, I'm begging you," I pleaded."You've got to know more than me…you have a sister that's been through this right?"She sighed.Ha!I had her there.She promised to be over soon, and we hung up.I told Bryan the suspicion.He paled.We waited.

Jhondie came over quickly, and went upstairs.I wasn't about to follow.It was like there was a rabid wolf in the bathroom or something.I heard her knock on the door, and let Brit know she was there.There was a creak of the door opening.

Being in the bathroom now, getting the towels for Denise, I shivered at the memory.Sure, Jhondie and Brit had really bonded, but now I was seeing the cost.I never asked what Jhon said to her in the bathroom, but the things that she made me do…I never thought I would do it for any woman.I made Bryan do it too, kind of like a rite of manhood or something.When we completed our mission, they were sisters of some kind then.It was scary, I say. Very, very scary.

Survive a few more hours, I ordered myself.Denise was gone, that was good.Jhondie was being very nice to Nana, which was even better.Jhondie was with Brit.I needed to get back down there quickly.I was once told that the universe always balances.If you have a good day, it must balance out a bad one.I was getting my balance for yesterday, I could see that now.If I could survive the rest of the evening without pharmaceutical help, I would count myself as doing very, very good.


	11. Conversations with Nana

Jhondie

Jhondie

I added a new level to my definition of the word "satisfaction" that evening.Watching a nasty Denise being driven off, now that was satisfying.It was mean, and low, and cruel, blah blah, I know.I should have taken the high road, and been understanding that she was pitifully jealous of Justin's happiness, and endured her presence for the rest of the evening.Well, there's a reason why everyone on the high road can do the speed limit.There isn't much traffic up there.

I was lucky to have a short little ally with me.Justin was too busy trying to be the nice guy, Mr. Maturity.I needed a hellion to get rid of that piece of crap.Brit and I had become rather close over the last couple of months.I knew she didn't like Denise, and everything just seemed to fall into place too perfectly for me to pass up an opportunity like that.It was fate.You can't fight fate, and if it's going in the direction you want, why even try?

"Can we get into our regular clothes now?" Bryan pleaded with his father the minute the O'Malley family took off.He looked so cute in his little suit and tie, but we all knew he would be so much more comfortable in jeans, possibly covered in mud.Brit was getting a little bit out of that tomboy stage, but she still didn't like being so dressy.They both turned a pleading face to their father.Who could resist that?

"Ok," he said, "but clean up the kitchen after, and be careful!" He emphasized the word careful.They both quickly scampered upstairs.Mr. Carter turned back to the three of us still in the living room."So, um, would anyone like some coffee?" he asked.The tension between him and Mrs. Alvarez was back.I wondered what had happened that was so bad they couldn't be in the same room together for more than five minutes.

"I am fine," Mrs. Alvarez said."Dinner was very filling."She looked at me sharply, her dark eyes boring into me like she could see my very soul."But I could use a short walk.Jhondie, would you care to accompany me?"

Justin's hand tensed around mine in alarm, but I smiled anyways."Of course," I replied.Hell, she couldn't be worse than Lydecker.Justin looked for a second like he was going to offer to go too, but I quickly added."It is always nice to have some time in feminine company after being with all men so far this weekend."Mrs. Alvarez wanted some time to grill me, I knew that, and it was better to get it over with, without Justin trying to interject and steer the conversation.

It was still early in the evening.Southern California doesn't get cold.Not that it really mattered to me anyways.Mrs. Alvarez had a sweater and she seemed comfortable as we walked around the block in the pre-twilight evening.After a minute, suspiciously when she was sure we were out of hearing of the house, she finally spoke.

"That was not very nice of you," she scolded.I didn't even pretend.

"I'm not always a very nice person," I replied with a smirk.If she only knew how true that was.Mrs. Alvarez seemed amused at my reply.

"Denise is a lovely young woman," she said."You should have compassion for her pain.Justin scorned her love, and she came here to heal from that loss."That felt more like a test to me.After a childhood at Manticore, you learn to recognize tricky statements like that.

"I'm not surprised at all that she wants Justin back," I replied."He's one in a million.But I am not a passive person."There was more I wanted to say, but I left it at that.

She eyed me sharply for a moment."Are you and my grandson lovers?" she asked baldly.

My immediate reaction was to lie.It's a built-in thing to deny any physical involvement until after the wedding.Screw it.If she wanted to tell me how bad I was for not waiting till marriage, it wouldn't be the first time I heard it from an old lady."Yes we are," I said simply.

She paused for a moment, and I could tell she was a little shocked that I would be honest, and then not rush to explain, and lose the whole dignity thing."You love him?" she asked softly.

I nodded."Very much.Above all, he's my best friend."That was easy.He certainly was all of the above.She smiled at me.A real smile.I wished I could read her mind.I felt like I was tap dancing through a minefield.

We started walking again.She was still smiling."Denise would never admit to that," she finally commented."Even though Justin had admitted to it separately, she never would."I had to laugh.Our conversation turned to more everyday things, school, plans for the future, things like that.She wasn't that bad at all.She asked me why Brit and I were so close, and I told her about that fateful Saturday in September.

"So," I said, telling her how I had gotten Brit calmed down."Brittany finally confessed that she was so upset because she didn't have any personal items.Well, I didn't have anything she could use, so I ran downstairs and told Justin that he was going to have to get her some."Mrs. Alvarez had tears in her eyes from laughing so hard thinking about her very masculine grandson being forced to such a task."He tried to protest, but I cut him off dead and said either he could stay with his hormonal sister while I ran out, or he could leave and I would stay.He grabbed Bryan and left.He came back with a box of every kind they had in the store," I said with a sigh of exasperation.Men!

"And Thomas?" she asked.

"He came home later, and found Justin and Bryan sitting in the dark living room. They weren't talking, and looked like someone had died.He was going to ask what was wrong, but then he saw the boxes on the coffee table.Justin swears he tried to run, but they dragged him back."I grinned with the memory."I was in the bathroom with Brittany and my makeup case and was showing her how to use the stuff without going overboard, and there they come, looking like I was diffusing a bomb with my toes."Actually, I think Justin would have been more confident if it was a bomb I was diffusing.

"Brittany just yelled 'Hi Daddy!' like there wasn't a thing wrong in the world.Then she turned back to me and started right back talking eyeliner."Mrs. Alvarez had to stop for a moment, the laughter getting to be too much for her.We got back to the house, and she smiled at me warmly for the first time.

"Are you a strong woman?" she asked me.It was an important question to her.

I couldn't help a smirk."That I am."She nodded and we went back inside.

Justin

Maybe I should have been worried when Nana and Jhondie came back, chatting amicably.I knew Nana was more comfortable expressing herself in Spanish, and Jhondie was keeping up with her no matter how fast she was speaking.They were talking about future plans, and Jhondie was telling her that she was toying with the idea of going to medical school.I knew she didn't really want to be an investigative journalist, and she had said that if she were a doctor, then Zack would know that if another X-5 ever needed one, there would be at least one doctor that they could trust without reservation.I thought it was more a tribute to her dad, a way so that she would know that there were still two good doctors out there in the world, but some things I do keep to myself.

I was with dad and the twins in the kitchen munching on the pecan pie, well I had the pie, and the twins were devouring the other bowl of yum-yum while dad had some pumpkin pie, when we heard them come back in.Nana was asking her what kind of doctor she wanted to be.Jhondie said she was fascinated by neurology, but she wasn't sure yet if that was what she wanted to specialize in.

They came into the kitchen, and Jhondie promptly got herself a slice of the pecan pie.I could tell she was still trying to be nice.She would have grabbed mine if Nana weren't there.She gave me a little smile, and I was hoping that meant everything had gone well.Actually, I knew it couldn't have gone too badly.Jhondie wasn't gliding as much as she was walking again.

"You want anything Nana?" Bryan asked.

"No, child," Nana replied."I will not be staying long."She shot dad a cold glance that I had come to interpret as "I know I am not welcome here".We could all feel the tension between her and dad.Even Brit was being quiet.It had been so long, but she was never going to let go of the blame.My grandparents blamed dad for taking their daughter out of Mexico and taking her to the States where she had been killed.Dad would take so much, and then point out it was the package that they sent that had her out that day when she died.You just have to love the Family Blame Game.Fun for all ages.

"Are you returning to Mexico soon?" Jhondie asked, trying to break up some of the tension.

Nana nodded."Tomorrow.I come in to spend the holiday with my grandchildren, but I cannot stay away from my home for long."That was SOP here.It's why Dad would tolerate her for the day.He knew it was for less than twenty-four hours and she would be gone again.

The rest of the talk was pretty small.Dad excused himself after a bit.I didn't blame him in the least, and the five of us sat around the table in the kitchen chatting and catching up.It was nice until mom was mentioned.Nana's face got hard, and I knew she was going to go into one of her more acidic speeches about her version of what happened.

"It was so tragic for a mother to outlive her child," Nana said.Bloody hell."Just the day before she had been talking how much she loved her visit to Mexico, and how much she wanted to come home, but Thomas did not want to leave America.There was no need to stay after the Pulse, and he could have moved his tiny business to Mexico just as easily, but no, he made her stay here."She sighed."She was always so happy when she was home.You children would have been happy there too."

"Nana," I interrupted.The twins were looking a little upset as they always did when Nana went off on one of her "you should be in Mexico" speeches.They were too young to remember, but Nana had tried to take us to Mexico after mom died.They could vaguely remember some of it, but I could remember having a DNA test done to prove paternity.It took me a while, but I came to understand that people would lash out with grief and want to assign blame."The only person who needs to get the blame for mom was the drunk that killed her," I reminded her."We've done good here with just the four of us."

"You should be with your family," she insisted."You have none here.You should be with your aunts and uncles and cousins and grandparents."Not this again.Now that I was of age, she wanted me to move to Mexico, and if possible, bring the twins with me.Not a chance.

"Well," I said with a smile, trying to lighten the mood."It's three less people you have to worry about."

"You need to be worried about and not left to raise yourselves," she replied."You yourself have been required to be a parent far before your time.You had to take care of yourself when you were far too young."

"Nana, sometimes you have to grow up quickly," I said, wanting her to chill."It's not a bad thing."

"Children should be children," she said as she had a thousand times before."That is the problem with the world.They are told to be adults and the adults will not give them the wisdom they need.They are given a television to teach them morals and values, and we wonder why there are so many problems when the parents are gone all the time, and they have no one to guide them and…"

"And," Jhondie interrupted.She had a soft voice that still carried firmly when she wanted to make a point."And sometimes adversity develops into strength."Her eyes met Nana's levelly, who was looking a little shocked that she was being cut in on.Denise had certainly always let her speak, even when she went off on a rant."It isn't easy to lose the people you care for the most in the world, but it can make you stronger."Her hand was holding mine, and it tightened reflexively."Sometimes losing someone suddenly can give you the strength to do things you never thought possible.Things you never dreamed of.And in the end, you become the person you didn't know you could.Things happen for a reason.Sometimes the loss of one will be the salvation for the many.It doesn't make it any easier, but it helps just a little when you can't sleep."

She had never really told me about how and why she escaped from Manticore.I knew some of it.I knew Zack had told them it was time and she had fallen into a river, but listening to her, I knew she was talking about her escape.Had someone been killed that night they ran?Was that the trigger?I wanted to ask her later, but I had no idea how to bring it up without hurting her.

Nana was speechless for a moment.That was a moment to mark down in the calendar.Dad had come back downstairs and heard that little speech from Jhondie.I think he was quite impressed that she quieted Nana for a moment as well.Jhondie just took another bite of pie.I couldn't help but wonder if anyone else had noticed that Jhondie had yet to stop eating since she'd come back.

"Do you really believe that?" Nana asked.

Jhondie looked incredibly thoughtful for a moment."If I didn't," she replied softly."If I had never learned that for myself, I would not be here now."Maybe Nana was thinking that she was referring to her father's death, maybe my dad was thinking she was referring to when she "had cancer" as a child.I knew the truth.


	12. Loss

Jhondie

Jhondie

I was glad that Mrs. Alvarez didn't stay too much longer.There was more conversation, but I wasn't really participating in it, just polite nods here and there.Maybe I offended her a little, but I really didn't care.I couldn't stop thinking about Eva, and the night we ran.She had told us over and over that we were better, that the guards couldn't hold us back.Zack was the first to believe her, and for so long he was the only one who would physically attack a guard.Even so none of us had ever even dreamed of threatening Lydecker himself.Even after that day in the woods, after we could all tell that we had scared the hell out of Lydecker, she was still the only one with the courage to threaten him.Oh, some of us had started to defy him in little ways, like getting up at 5:03 AM and other little things, but she was the only one who would have pulled a gun on him.I missed her.I missed them all.

After a while, she finally left with lots of hugging and promises to come to Mexico soon.She warmly said goodbye to me, and I was sure I replied in kind, so I guessed I couldn't have offended her to dreadfully.The twins ran upstairs to do whatever it was they did up there, and the three of us left standing ended up in the den.Justin and I plopped down on the couch, and Mr. Carter came in a few minutes later with some bottles.

"Don't you dare tell your mother I let you have this," he said warningly, handing me a beer.I shrugged, starting to feel a little better.

"Never seen it before in my life," I replied.He smiled back, and then hoisted his bottle.

"To the end of another Thanksgiving dinner," he toasted.That was something we could all drink to.A few swallows and I was feeling a little more mellow.Justin had his arm around me, and I could feel the tension from the day draining away.It wasn't the dinner I had envisioned, but it was over now, and all in all…it was going to be a hell of a dinner before this one got topped.I thought of Denise covered in goo and had to bite back a laugh.That was one for the record books.Tomorrow…tomorrow was going to get better.Do a little work, and do a lot of something else.I thought it would be a pretty equal division of time.

"Hey, Jhon!" Brit called out, bouncing down the stairs and running into the den.Brit coming in with a bounce was a lot like a tornado.You didn't know where it was going to touch down, and you had no idea what was going to happen when it did.Bryan was right behind her.I had a feeling I was getting ganged up on.

"You really Catholic or just playing with Nana?" she yelled.

"She's right here," Mr. Carter said reprovingly.That translated to lower the volume to jet engine decibel levels.

"I really am," I said, wondering why it was such a big deal.

Brit grinned triumphantly at Bryan."See!Right at St. Andrew's!"He glared at her.

"No way!" he refuted.There was no way to decipher their conversation."I get to pick!"

"It's the girl's job," she said snottily.He jumped at her and they tore back up the stairs.We could only watch them go and wonder what the hell had just been decided.I liked Brittany, I really did, but she was like dealing with live ordinance.You didn't want to be anywhere near the explosion.

Justin laughed."Just when I think I know you, you find another way to surprise me."I had to grin at that.

"Get used to it," I teased back.

He glanced up at his dad, eyes twinkling with mischievousness."Hey, you got something on your face," he said, motioning to above his eyebrow.Mr. Carter reached up and wiped at his face, and while his eyes were covered for a moment, Justin leaned over and kissed me soundly.I know I blushed, but Mr. Carter was grinning.Those two were a dangerous tag team on poor little me.And I had two more days of it.

Justin

"So when did you get all religious?" I asked Jhondie, waiting for the punch line.I had never seen her in a church, and just couldn't imagine her in a confessional.If she ever told a priest everything, the whole story of her life, he'd probably have a heart attack.I almost did when I found out about Manticore, and I still knew very little about it.Jhondie didn't like to talk about it, and I didn't want to push her.

"Hey," Dad said to me, "it was one thing your grandmother couldn't complain about."Very true.He looked at Jhondie curiously.I could feel her tense in anticipation of the questioning.I knew that kind of tense.You couldn't see it in her face, but I could feel it in her body.The only way to get her like that was for the "M" word to be mentioned."Does your family not practice, or," he started imitating Nana, "are you one of those children with no place for God in their lives?"

We both laughed."Actually, my family isn't Catholic," Jhondie said with an embarrassed little grin."You'd think for all of the arguing I went through to get permission to join the church, I'd be better, but I'm not the best of Catholics."She shrugged."I go when I can, or when I want to, or whenever."

I guess she could see the curiosity in both Dad and me.Dad was wondering why a kid would fight so hard to join a church.I was wondering where it came from at all.To be honest, I had been a little shocked to discover she believed in God at all.Most people wondered where they came from.She knew for certain that her life was far from a miracle.Unless, of course, you counted escaping and leading a normal life as the miracle.

"You know I was really sick when I was young," she said more than asked.Her hand tightened around mine.Yeah, sick.The place where she was, that was the sickness.But Dad thought she was referring to leukemia, what the original Katherine Harris died of."Anyways, one night, one of the boys I was in the, um, hospital with, he started to get really bad.We were all worried that something was going to happen to Jack, and he…" she broke off for a moment, drowning in a well of memories.I could just imagine what happened to Jack.Actually, that made four names besides hers that I knew.Zack, Max, Bryn, and now Jack.

"He was getting so sick," she said in a small voice.She looked like she was about to start crying.I squeezed her hand, and she gave me a little smile."Anyways, this orderly came in and he saw Jack, and…he gave him something.He told Jack to pray to her and she'd help, and then he left and we all ran over there to see.It was a prayer card, and it had a picture of Mary on the back."There was bitterness in her smile, and I knew there was a hell of a lot she was leaving out."Jack started to feel better, and we all thought she had helped."

She looked up at us."I know it seems silly now, but I didn't know who she was, but I thought she was really going to save us all.One of the younger ones just knew that she was there for just us and that she was going to get us all out of there.I eventually did, and then it just stuck with me, and when we moved to Las Vegas, I started going to church."She shrugged."I haven't been quite as devout these last few years, but that's life."

"What happened to Jack?" Brit asked from the door.For once she had been quiet.

"He died," Jhondie said flatly.Brit's eyes got huge.

"How many of your friends died?" she asked.Kids never think that people they know can really die.Dying only happened to adults or people on TV.

"Too many," Jhondie said sadly.She got up quickly."Ok," she said with a smile."Enough depressing everyone for the holiday, I'm going to throw this away, anyone want anything while I'm in the kitchen?"

"I'm fine," Dad said.I could tell he felt a little bad for bringing this up.He had no idea how bad it really was for her.Jhondie trotted out, looking just fine as she went into the kitchen.Brit turned to follow her, but I was already up, and grabbed her shoulder.

"But she's upset!" Brit protested.

"That's what I'm here for," I reminded her.I waited a few seconds, and then followed Jhondie into the kitchen.She was standing at the window looking out into the dark.I couldn't see much out there, but night didn't bother her at all.She didn't acknowledge me coming in, but I knew she had to have heard it anyways.I walked up behind her and wrapped my arms around her.

Maybe she was expecting me.She didn't seem surprised at all that I came in there.She should know that I was there for her by then.She turned in my arms so that she could have her head on my shoulder, letting me hold her tightly.I could feel her trembling slightly.

"They took him a few days later," she whispered.I was not expecting her to say another word about what happened, and wasn't about to interrupt her."We were in line up for maneuvers," she continued."He had a seizure and collapsed, and we couldn't hide him.They dragged him right off of the field, and he never woke up again.None of the ones they took ever woke up again."

Jesus Christ.No wonder she was terrified of a seizure.That was one of those things that stuck with you for a while."Did you ever find out for sure what happened?" I dared to ask."You're sure they were killed when taken away?"I looked into her face, wondering if she'd ever hoped they were still alive somewhere.

"Max snuck out of the block that night, and she…" The sudden fury on her face almost made me step back."She saw them doing the autopsy," Jhondie hissed."She heard everything," she said.I wasn't sure what that meant, and I wasn't going to ask.The fury drained slowly, and she put her head back on my shoulder.

"Did I sound like an idiot out there?" she asked finally.I smiled.

"Not at all," I reassured her."They all think you were talking about having cancer."

"It was a cancer," she said flatly."One of the spirit instead of the body, but it was just as destructive.They wanted to beat us down, take all of ourselves away, become a little machine for them."

I tilted her chin up so that I could look into her eyes."You're cured now."

She looked sad at that."No," she said."It's in remission."

I kissed her firmly."You my love," I said in a do-not-argue tone, "are cured of what tried to make you anything less than the human being in front of me."She smiled for real.I didn't know if she really believed me or not, but it was a start.


	13. Unexpected Visitor

Jhondie

Jhondie

When I went back into the den, everyone got quiet.I was so embarrassed."I'm sorry your friend died," Brit said in a small voice.He was my brother, but I couldn't correct her.Maybe one day I would, but not for a very long time.Hell, maybe never.Kayla didn't know, and I had no plans to tell her anything.

"Me too," I said, grateful for Justin's presence.I thought I wanted to be alone in the kitchen, but when he came in, I knew I needed him there.I hadn't told him much, and he never pushed, but I thought I felt just a little better for sharing that tidbit of my life with him.When you're older, you feel responsible for the younger kids.Zack, Eva, and I had managed to hide seizing siblings before, but when Jack collapsed in line, there was nothing we could do.A few minutes later and we would have been on maneuvers, and we could have hid him then.It was hard to not dwell on the past sometimes.

I was glad conversation went on in a much lighter mood.I was feeling so much better getting my mind off of the past.I had no idea why I was being so reflective.I normally shoved down the first nine years of my life and pretended they didn't happen.It was better that way.Luckily the twins started clowning around, and when they start, there's no being depressed.They go back and forth until everyone is dying with laughter.You'd think Bryan was a little shy and reserved, but that's only when he's being compared to Brit.He's actually very outgoing, and has a wicked sense of humor.I was willing to bet Justin was a lot like that as a little boy.With the way Bryan was already starting to look, I knew he was going to be a heartbreaker one day.

It started to get pretty late.Not that I noticed, but the twins started to run low on energy, and Mr. Carter seemed pretty tired, and even Justin was drooping a little.I had just had another huge plate of the stuffing (oh, more cranberries make everything better) when Mr. Carter told the twins to go to bed.It was almost midnight.Brit woke up long enough to protest she wasn't tired.

I couldn't help but be annoyed when I went to Justin's room.I wanted to stay downstairs, but Mr. Carter scooted me off to bed.There was going to be a downside to spending the night over here.I would have to pretend to sleep.With as much as I had gotten the day before, it would probably be a week or more before I got the urge to sleep again, but I was going to have to fake it.I did some work on Justin's computer for a while, entering research notes and the like, and tried not to think about sneaking downstairs.Finally, I plopped down in his bed, smelling Justin's scent in the sheets and pillows.Not fair!

I lay in bed, relaxed, but I still couldn't sleep.I wanted to go downstairs, and it had nothing to do with food for once.I could just picture Justin in his boxers stretched out on the couch in the den.Even if we couldn't do anything, it would be nice to snuggle up next to him and talk and I wouldn't sleep, but just be close to him while he slept.That wouldn't be wrong would it?Except for the little fact that in about thirty seconds after me getting there, we would be going at it like rabbits.No, I would be good and not attack him for now.Tomorrow would be a whole different story though.It was going to be a matter of in the car, or if we could make it back to my house.I groaned in frustration, and threw the blanket over my head.I wanted him now.

There was a light scratching at the trellis outside of the window.Justin's room faced the back, and his window was right over the roof of the porch.It was an easy jump for me, but the scratching was a little louder now, and it sounded like…like someone was climbing.Maybe it was an animal.I had no idea how right I was.

I was about to get up and check it out when I heard a whispered curse.It was a feminine voice.It sounded like…no…she wouldn't…but she was insane and had been thwarted.I left the blanket over my head and waited for a second.The lock on Justin's window had been broken for a couple of years, and he had just never gotten around to fixing it.Well, as of six months ago that was the excuse.Now it would just take me longer to break into the place.The window slid open.

"Justin?" Denise whispered."Don't say anything," she said quickly.Her tone, even in a whisper was seductive.She was a dead bitch.She'd gotten her one warning.I had to lie there quietly for a minute, trying desperately to calm down.I could rip her arms and legs off without breaking a sweat, and at that moment, I was so tempted to do it.

"I've been thinking so much," she said.Yeah right.You had to have two sparking brain cells to think bitch."About us, what happened…we both know that we both made major mistakes," she continued."Face it my love, you know as much as I do that we're supposed to be together.Even your little girl knew that.Why else did she try to get rid of me so quickly?"

Say nothing I ordered myself.Maybe she would get the hint and go away.Dumping yum-yum on her was one thing.Spreading her from one end of the room to the other was a different level.One that I was rapidly getting ready to do.Little girl my sweet a$$.I was born an adult unlike your skank self.

She paused, and I sensed her frustration at not getting a response."I know you're awake," she whispered, and I heard the smile in her voice."Your light just went off maybe ten minutes ago, and it takes you a while to fall asleep.See?I know everything about you, everything important."She started approaching the bed."You said yourself that you weren't homesick in New York.You didn't miss that child at all.Remember how many times you told me you missed me when you were in Mexico?She isn't more important than your work, is she?I'm still the only one that ever distracted you from it, aren't I?"

That's because he was trying to escape from you.Escape is not distraction.I…I had distracted him before.I thought I had.There was that time…well, we were together, but we just had to get one thing.And yesterday…well, we did go to the construction site first.Well, I was the one who agreed to have my Prom interrupted.Just because I was too angry to think of a time didn't mean it had never happened.It just meant that bitch was about to take a short trip back to the ground via the window.

Now she must have thought that silence meant agreement."I knew it," she murmured triumphantly."You see it too now?Oh Justin, I knew you would.I'll never love anyone the way I love you.Bradley is so sweet and wonderful, but I pretend he's you when we're in bed together.Remember all the times we made love?You said it could never be better.Have you slept with her?How long did it take for you to get over the memory of touching me before you could touch her?You told me so many times how perfect my body was."There was a whispery slithering sound.I placed it.Clothes sliding down and hitting the floor."You can touch me now," she practically gasped.Time to die.

I know I moved to fast for her to follow.Careless, I know, but I was too furious to even think about acting normal.She was so dead.I had a split second to take in the scene before I was on her.She was standing there, completely naked, jeans and a shirt on the floor, running her hands up her torso like some whore in a porno flick.Her eyes got huge when she saw not Justin, but a worse psycho than herself come out of that bed.You think you're bad?I was trained by better than you, and I learned very, very well.

She was pinned against the wall in a heartbeat, the start of a scream cut off instantly by the hand clamped around her throat, squeezing firmly.Her face was turning red as she slapped at my wrist, terror filling them as she realized I had every intention of choking the life out of her right then and there.I could have broken her neck, but…nah…this was better.Deep inside, I knew I couldn't kill her.I would stop once she passed out but she didn't know that.

She would have escaped with a few bruises on her throat and a massive headache (lack of oxygen does that, I knew that from underwater training at Manticore) had she not taken a swipe at me.I was so intent on her face, that I didn't catch her hand in time.My face stung, and I could feel the warmth of four lines of blood well up on my cheek.Oh, that was *SO* it!

I let go of her throat, grabbing her wrist with my right hand, and catching her nails with the tips of my fingers of my left hand and jerked them back hard, hearing the nails tearing down beneath the quick.She had been trying to get her breath back, and it came in one shrill scream as the pain tore up her arm.Still holding her wrist in an iron clamp, I jerked her forward into my knee, knocking the wind out of her once again.She was lucky I didn't go with full strength.I could have damaged organs and shattered her ribs.Instead she was just going to be bruised over her entire stomach.And other places because I was not done yet.

I backhanded her hard, flinging her halfway across the room, slamming her into the corner.I could hear running, but ignored it.Four scratches meant four broken bones.It seemed like a fair trade to me.I jumped quickly across the room before she could get back up.My fist rose to deck the shit out of her when some one grabbed my wrist, and an arm around my waist jerked me back off of her.

Justin

When I was awoken by a scream, my body was moving before my mind could figure out what the hell was going on.Dad and I hit the door at the same time, and all I saw was Jhondie was about to kill someone huddled in the corner, and Jhondie's hair was over her shoulder, exposing her neck.I had to grab her before Dad tried to.I grabbed her arm and waist, and hauled her backwards.She twisted, grabbing me, and for a split second I thought I was toast.If it had been Dad, he would have gotten a crash course in genetics, the crashing being the sound of him hitting a wall.But, I guess deep down, I knew Jhondie wouldn't ever hurt me.Even furious, she wouldn't.Thank God, I was right.

My hand clamped around the back of her neck.I jerked her close, and hissed into her ear, "your barcode is showing!"She tensed with fear at exposing herself like that.The room was still somewhat dark, the only light coming from the hall, so for someone not looking closely, chances were only another person with Jhondie's vision could have seen it, but it was enough to calm her down.She needed to be calm.Denise was the one in the corner and she was screaming bloody murder.

Dad managed to get himself in between Denise and us.He must have realized I was doing everything I could to keep Jhondie off of her.Jhondie turned around again so that she could glare at Denise.I was still keeping my arms around her waist though.Not that I could really do much if she really wanted to get at her, but it was the effort that counted.I wanted to laugh at the sight though.Denise was mother-naked on my floor, in mortal terror.For once she wasn't acting.Jhondie had really put the fear of God into her.That just made up for the four flat tires, the broken windshield and the dead fish in my car.

"She tried to kill me!" Denise screamed."That crazy…oh my God, she tried to kill me!"She looked directly at me, tears streaming down her face."What's that crazy b***h doing in here?" she demanded.Jhondie jerked in my arms, but I kept hold of her.

"I don't know, Denise," I responded hotly."What are you doing in here?"

"Justin!" Dad snapped.He looked over my shoulder."You two!Back to bed now!"I risked a glance backwards.Brit was giggling silently and Bryan was staring wide-eyed at Denise.Oh that was not what I needed.

"But, Dad," they started to protest in unison.

"Now!" he yelled at them, pointing.He looked back at me, trying to get control of the situation.I was having a hard enough time trying to keep control of Jhondie.She wanted another go at Denise who was still whimpering."Take Jhondie downstairs," he ordered me firmly.He looked down at Denise."Get dressed," he said coldly."I'll take you back home myself."

I tugged on Jhondie, and for some reason, she decided to come with me.I didn't like leaving Denise alone in my room, but I didn't have much of a choice.Getting Jhondie away from her was the best thing for me to do right then.I got her downstairs into the den.She couldn't see the living room from there, and it would be best to not let her see Denise as Dad hauled her out of here.We sat down on the couch.She still wasn't talking.Please let Dad get Denise out of here fast, I prayed.Once Jhondie decided to go back up there and kill her, there wasn't going to be any stopping her.The sad part was I wasn't sure if I would try terribly hard.Dad had just better hurry.

When Jhondie gets mad, if she's not yelling, she's thinking.When she thinks about something that's upsetting her, she broods on it.When she broods, she gets madder.The madder she gets, the more likely there are going to be fireworks.Of course as Denise had just learned, Jhondie can skip to the fireworks straight up.I preferred trying to get her to talk.It was safer for all the non-genetically engineered around.

"Jhon?" I said softly."I am so sorry.I had no idea she would pull a stunt like that."

She glared at me for a second."You shouldn't have stopped me."That's when I noticed her cheek.

"She did that?" I asked, seeing the dried blood on her face.It looked like fingernail cuts.I had a great deal of experience with Denise and her nails.

"It's nothing," she said, a cold smile touching her face."She won't be doing that again for a long time."I hadn't gotten a good look at what Jhondie had done to Denise.Hell, she was alive.I thought it best to not ask.Jhondie might decide to go back up there and finish the job.Jhondie didn't say anything for a long moment."She was sure she was going to seduce you," she finally said flatly.

We both heard some light sobbing coming down the steps, and then a second later the front door slammed.It gave me a second to digest what Jhondie was saying, and why she was so angry.I touched her face lightly, making her look at me."You think she might have actually succeeded?" I asked a little incredulously.

Some of the anger melted a little, and she looked a little confused and embarrassed."I don't want to think you'd ever cheat on me, but then she came in and you never said she was beautiful like that and then she snuck into your room and said all that stuff and got naked, and I just saw red." She looked miserable.If she hadn't looked so miserable, I would have gotten mad.I had never once given her cause to doubt me.Of course I had never had a naked ex in my bedroom before.Not that I would have let anything happen, in any case, but…but I was very glad it was Jhondie in my room.If I had been there and said no, Denise would have raised such a ruckus that Jhondie would have come up there and walked into that situation.I didn't think Denise would have gotten off so easily in that circumstance.

Instead of getting mad, I hugged Jhondie to me.She didn't try and pull away."There is no way in hell she would have gotten her way," I said softly.Our eyes met, and I could see she was on the verge of crying.It was hard for her to learn to trust someone.She trusted me."I love you sweetheart.It was never like this with her.Ever."I grinned at her wickedly, and whispered."And I guarantee after yesterday, I have been ruined for any other woman."I paused for a second, pretending to think."At least, unless one of your sisters show up with that incredible muscle control thing going," I teased.

She let out a little snort of laughter and playfully punched my shoulder."You're a jerk," she said, trying to look mad.

"You love it."

She leaned up and kissed me."No," she said, almost a sigh."Just love you."


	14. After the Fire

Jhondie

Jhondie

"Will you two cut it out!" a cry interrupted Justin and I making us both jump.Brit was standing in the doorway looking a little disgusted.She came in with Bryan behind her and plopped down in a chair."You two are always so cutsie together," she complained.

I had turned around, and tried to sit up, but Justin's arms were wrapped around me and he hugged me to him."Get used to it brat," he told her firmly, and kissed me on the uninjured cheek."Didn't Dad tell you two to go to bed?"

"He told you that you weren't allowed to be making out with Jhondie while we were here," Brittany said matter-of-factly.I almost laughed but Justin would have killed me.I bet he wasn't expecting to hear that from his baby sister, and from his silence, we all knew she had him over the proverbial barrel.

Bryan was looking at me weird."I didn't know girls could fight like that," he said with awe.I shrugged.He was wide-eyed with amazement."Did she win?"

That mortally offended me."I wasn't the one hauled out of here screaming and crying," I informed him.

"But she got you good," he pointed out.I touched my cheek.Some of the blood was still fresh.I was going to have to get cleaned up in a minute.It wasn't too bad though.

"I got her better," I bragged.Nah, it wasn't bragging.I did get her better.

"So, why did she get naked to fight you?" Bryan asked.Both of the twins were a little naive.I wasn't sure if it was from their father and brother being careful with their girlfriends when the twins were around, or if the kids just didn't want to think about their father or brother having sex.I sure as hell don't want to ever think about Kayla getting it on with some guy (I'd probably have to end up hurting him when they broke up) and I can say that sometimes I'm glad for my conception because I don't have to think about my parents making me.That's just something no child should ever have to think about.

"Um, Jhon, maybe I should take care or your cheek," Justin said quickly.He wasn't about to explain.I would have laughed, but Justin was already dragging me into the downstairs bathroom.I could still hear the twins talking even though they lowered their voices.

"I think she thought Justin was going to be in his room," Brittany said.There was a pause.

"Don't say another word!" Bryan said sharply.Then they were both clumping back up the steps.I couldn't help but to giggle quietly.Justin looked at me in question as he was getting a first aid kit out of the cabinet.

"You don't want to know about your siblings discussing your sex life," I snickered.He refused to comment.Smart move on his part.He opened the kit and got out some antiseptic and gauze.

"This stuff stings," he said, cleaning my cheek gently with a cloth first, "but it is a sure fire guarantee that you won't get infected or scarred."

I grimaced."I've had worse and I don't scar anyways," I said flatly.Did Justin simply not think about the fact that I have different body chemistry when I wasn't actively using my abilities, or did he just pretend I was normal?I used to think that he was acting like he didn't think about it to make me feel better, feel more normal, but I was starting to wonder.He really didn't think about it.He was amazing.

He looked thoughtful for a second as he started to use the antiseptic.He was right about that stuff stinging!I still didn't flinch though.Dipping ones neck in hydrochloric acid was far more painful."You don't scar do you?" he said more than asked."Didn't see a single one anywhere."Our eyes met and his lips turned up in a sensual smile."And I was looking very closely."Now I blushed.He would know if I had any.

He decided to go ahead and put some gauze over my cheek.One of the gouges was still oozing blood.I couldn't believe she managed to get me so hard.Next time I saw her…I couldn't say much, she already wasn't going to be clawing anyone again for a long time."You know," I commented as he started dressing the cut, "I'm going to have to wear this for a couple of days just so people can't see that it's already healed."

Justin smirked."Oh the pains of having a perfect body," he said with gentle sarcasm."Some of us actually would need those few days to heal you know."I checked myself in the mirror.It wasn't as bad as it could have been.She could have caught my eye or something.Not that I wouldn't have healed, but I would have been forced to kill her then.

We went back into the den and snuggled on the couch.If I had just given in and gone down here in the first place, none of this would have happened.We would have been cuddled on the couch and Denise would have gone home on her own.I loved being with him like this, resting my head on his chest while he played with my hair.It was so easy to relax with him when we were this close.Making out would have been nice at that point, but I didn't want to move a muscle.I'd wait till later to rape him.

I might have fallen asleep in his arms had Justin not stiffened suddenly.I looked up quickly to see what was the matter.He had the strangest expression, a cross between pain and amazement as if he'd had a bad muscle cramp due to an epiphany."What's wrong?" I asked quickly.He looked down at me with this weird guppy, mouth open thing going.

"It's…umm…you know, I had no idea that yesterday was going to happen," he stammered.He usually started making sense after a little while.I was hoping this would prove to be the case quickly."I mean," he continued, "I have never, ever forgotten, not once, but I wasn't expecting it, so I didn't think, and you never said anything, and then it was way too late."

He paused as if I was going to understand what the hell he was saying."Jhon," he whispered, "we didn't…umm…make a baby yesterday did we?"

I had to fight from bursting into laughter.Oh God, I never even thought to tell him.Neither of us had been concerned yesterday, and it wasn't a big deal.Still, I wasn't going to let him off the hook that easily.I gave him a slightly hurt / confused expression."You mean you don't want to have a baby with me?" I asked, sounding hurt.

I could imagine a small animal in a trap and the hunter coming closer having the same expression Justin did at that moment.I wished I had a camera."It's not you love," he said quickly, trying to get out of this one."I mean…I'm not ready to be a father at all, it's not that there isn't a possibility in the future…way in the future…but…" I decided to show pity on the poor thing.

I leaned up and kissed him to stop his rambling."We're safe," I said softly with a grin."As far as we can tell, the only time I can physiologically get pregnant is during a heat cycle, and if I was in heat, you'd be naked right now."He looked relieved, but was trying not to show it.God, he was cute."I'm not ready for that either," I said."Maybe one day…but not for a while."

He grinned suddenly, realizing that I had been teasing him."You little…" he got out as he started tickling me mercilessly.It was impossible for me to fight back as his fingers teased my sides and stomach.I couldn't shove him off of me without hurting him, and all I could do was try and keep him from blowing on my stomach.The last time he had done that I had laughed so hard I almost passed out.

One minute he was tickling me and the next we were kissing passionately on the couch.I loved feeling his weight against me as his lips worked magic against mine.The whole world faded except for the delicious sensations he could arouse in me.Our arms were around each other, keeping our bodies as close as possible as we kissed.And that was the exact position we were in when Mr. Carter cleared his throat from the door.


	15. Getting Back to Sleep

Justin

Justin

Jhondie was half under me when Dad made himself known, but she still managed to get out from under me, and be on her feet in less than a second."Umm…I'm going to bed now," she said quickly, and then the little coward darted past Dad and up the stairs.I was at least in a sitting position, trying to think of the right thing to say.Dad was just staring at me.Not a good sign.

"I was under the impression that we had an agreement concerning certain behavior here especially when the twins were here," he said flatly.

"It won't happen again," I said, looking down at the carpet.I felt like I was a kid getting busted.I wanted to try and explain that I didn't mean to get started, she was just not easy to keep hands off of, but that was useless with Dad.Dad and I had a good relationship, but every now and then he suddenly became a parent, and was impossible to deal with then.Dad didn't say anything; he just had that disappointed look that was far worse than yelling.

"I know it won't," he finally replied, his voice full of warning.You know, for a man that claimed to trust me, this was pretty ridiculous.One slip up in all this time was a pretty good track record.

"Dad…"I tried to protest, but he cut me off.

"If you can't handle her being here, then after this weekend, she will not be an overnight guest here again," he said firmly.Before I could say anything to try and explain that it wasn't like she had snuck down here for a quickie, he continued, "we both agreed on the rules together, and under this roof, you will abide by them."My mouth shut.He was not going to be in a mood to talk tonight.

Dad turned to leave, but I did have something to ask that he would be willing to answer."What did Mr. O'Malley say?" I asked.Dad turned back, smirking.

"Let's see, at first he was ready to grab Mitchell and come over and remove body parts that you are rather fond of," Dad said.That wouldn't have been pretty.Dad would have also learned that it wasn't just girls Jhondie could take out when in the mood."But then Denise stopped wailing that you beat her up when I said rather loudly that I didn't appreciate her sneaking naked into my son's bedroom."

I laughed.Mr. O'Malley loved his daughter for some bizarre reason that I couldn't fathom, but he knew about her personality deficits."She started whining that you had asked her to come over," Dad continued, "until I reminded her that you were on the couch and Jhondie was in your room.I told George that it was her and Jhondie that got into a fight."

Dad gave me an odd look."Did you see what Jhondie did to her?"I hoped he didn't see me blanche.I didn't get a good view, but I could imagine.Denise was lucky the damage wasn't far worse.Jhondie let her walk out of here.

"Not really," I replied.It didn't come out too weird."Jhondie got some bad scratches, she manage to get the better of Denise?"

Dad snorted."Better of her?She damn near ripped out Denise's nails.Denise is going to be lucky if she can walk tomorrow with all the bruises, and she claimed that Jhondie choked her one-handed.In the car she was screaming for the police to be called until I reminded her she was the one breaking and entering."He sighed."I hope Denise got the point she wasn't welcome around here any longer."

"Me too," I said.From the depths of my soul I hoped so.I know Dad didn't think she'd be up and around the next day, but it's hard to keep evil down.

"Why don't you go back to sleep now," Dad suggested, and then turned to leave.

"Dad?" I called out, not wanting to say it, but he had been right.Dad paused."I'm sorry about earlier," I said quickly."Not trying to make any excuses, but I am sorry."He gave me a curt nod that meant apology accepted, and then went upstairs.

I lay back down, wanting to go back to sleep.I could still feel Jhondie against me.I wanted more than anything to sneak up to my room, and just hold her for the rest of the night.This was not fair.Rule of thumb, the day after you first make love to a woman, don't have her in arms reach all night if you can't do anything.It is a source of great pain.I closed my eyes, still picturing her in my mind like she was yesterday with her head on my shoulder, her body close to mine.Good night Jhondie, I thought.Love you baby.With that in mind, I finally fell back asleep.

Jhondie

There was a light knock at the bedroom door, and I had a feeling I knew who it was.I was so embarrassed.I had promised myself to be a perfect lady while enjoying the Carter's hospitality, and then there I was enjoying Justin's special hospitality right on the couch.I had to be honest with myself.Had Mr. Carter not shown up, the hospitality would have been mint-on-the-pillow kind of good.

"It's open," I said quietly, and Mr. Carter came in.I know I blushed.Luckily I had a bandage covering half my face.

"Jhondie," he started to say, but I jumped up and cut him off dead.

"I know what you want to say," I said quickly, "and I totally apologize for getting away with myself there.The only excuse I can offer is that I was really upset, and it's really easy for comfort to become something else real fast."I had to be beet red at that point.This was so embarrassing."Under any other circumstances I would not have gone downstairs at all until morning."I paused for a second."Okay, maybe to get some more of that cranberry stuffing, but that's it."It was a good thing I didn't need to breathe as much.I managed to get that all out in one breath.

He looked a little off balance.It was kind of cute because it was the same expression Justin had when I sidestepped him."Umm…" he stuttered.I realized that he was just as embarrassed as I was.Funny."Well, as long as you understand that I don't want this repeated," he said.

"Absolutely," I agreed fervently."It's your house, and I respect your rules."

He smiled."Well, I'm glad we got that worked out."

"Me too," I replied, smiling back.

He took a breath and asked me cautiously, "Did you mean to hurt her as bad as you did?"

I shook my head. "No," I answered."I actually was going to hurt her worse."

That wasn't the answer he was expecting.He looked shocked for a moment, and then started laughing."Goodnight Jhondie," he said, shaking his head.

"Night," I said, shutting the door.I sat back down at the computer and started to get some stuff written up.God, Justin needed to get this desk of his in some semblance of order.There were a couple of floppies I knew he had earlier, but hell if I could find them now.I made myself concentrate on what I was doing, and not think of Justin's hands all over me.I was not going to think of his scent, or the way his arms felt around me.I finally had to give up and go lay down to force myself to sleep.It was the fastest way to pass time, and I needed to get Justin out of this house.Good night Justin, my love, I thought.I didn't care if we got any work at all done tomorrow.I just wanted to be with him.


	16. Research

Jhondie Deepthought Deepthought 1 1 2001-11-01T22:46:00Z 2001-11-01T22:47:00Z 3 1102 6284 Deepthought 52 12 7717 9.2720 

Jhondie

It was a little awkward the next morning at breakfast.  Justin and I were at opposite ends of the table.  Not that I would have attacked him when he handed me the cereal (thank God there wasn't any fresh fruit on the table) but it was a little funny to have Justin's dad there watching us.  Brit and Bryan finished in a gulp and then were off to do whatever it was that they did when there wasn't any school.  Mr. Carter seemed to know what they were up to, but then who knew for sure.  Those two sometimes came home smelling like dead hamsters.  Don't ask how I know what that smells like.

"So, what do you two have planned for today?" Mr. Carter asked.

"I've got to go to the library to do some research," Justin answered smoothly.  I was glad he said something.  I had no idea how to get around saying that we were going to do some research for an Eye's Only hack.  Mom was easy to deal with.  I'd just tell her I needed to stretch out for a while and move around.  She thought my constant restlessness had something to do with my genes.  Justin glanced over at me.  "You want to work on your Lit paper or hang around here?"  He sounded so casual, like he didn't know I had finished that paper a few days ago.

"If I don't get that paper done by Sunday, Mom is going to kill me," I replied.  I smiled.  That wasn't hard at all.  "I promised I wouldn't just play this weekend."  ACK!  Bad choice of words.  Justin shot me a dirty look and Mr. Carter just concentrated on his cornflakes.

"Make sure you keep your pager on in case I need you to watch the twins tonight, if you don't mind," Mr. Carter said as he got up.

"No problem," Justin said, finishing his cereal.  I wasn't quite done yet.  Ladies do not wolf down their meal.  Well, at least not their second bowl of cereal.

We headed out quickly after grabbing a couple of things from Justin's room.  I've heard stories that before the Pulse, just about every non-retail business was closed the day after Thanksgiving.  Now, everyone is open, including construction office headquarters.  We still had some disks to get for the boss, and this was going to be our best chance.

There are only a few decent courier services left in the city.  A couple of months ago, Justin came up with a slightly brilliant idea.  Most of the couriers wore street clothes with a vest over it showing what company they worked for.  If one were rather ingenious, they could conceivably imitate being a courier if they had a vest.  Most people didn't ask questions when a courier showed up and announced they were here for a package.  If that was the company they normally used, the package was in hand and signed for without question.  Getting the vests was rather easy for one who doesn't mind a little B & E and borrowing one.  .  The companies never noticed a missing vest from their piled under the counter.  They've come in handy on a few occasions since.

We had the name of the courier company that delivered the package to the main office, and as luck would have it, we had a vest of theirs as well.  We went to the main office, a cushy high rise in downtown LA, and Justin waited for me.  For some reason, people felt less threatened when a girl was making the pickup rather than a guy.  I grabbed some gum, walked up to the counter blowing a big bubble, and waited for the receptionist to acknowledge me.

"May I help you?" she said hesitantly, giving me a "oh God I hate LA teenagers" look.  It's a standard on transplants, especially when you are being stereotypical.

"Packages Express," I said, pointing to the patch on my vest, giving her my best "duh" look.  "There was like a package delivered here the other day," I continued with a total valley girl accent.  I consulted my clipboard with an excellent copy of a Packages Express ticket on it.  "It's supposed to be picked up for delivery."

"Hold on," she said giving me another strange look.  She got on the phone and tried to whisper quietly while I examined the pictures on the wall.  Hey, look at the owner up there in his suit with the diamond tie clip.  Gerhardt Bronk.  He had the air of someone that the boss would be going after.  Looked like a jerk at any rate.

"There's a courier here," the receptionist whispered.  I bet she thought I couldn't hear her.  "She's supposed to be picking up Mr. Hamlin's package that was delivered Wednesday."  She listened for a moment.  "No, sir, she doesn't look like that.  She looks like a, well, airhead."  She paused.  "Yes, sir."

"Hold on just a moment," she said with a fake smile.  Not a good sign.  Being told to get out is better.  I just wanted to know where the package was.

A man came out of the back.  Not ol' Bronk from the wall, but he still had that air of needing to be nailed.  He was probably up to no good.  We'd have to find out later and bust him.  His cologne also reeked.  Why is it bad guys who can afford the good stuff like to use the worst smelling stuff they could get?

"You're here to pick up a package?" he asked snottily, not even bothering to introduce himself.  I blinked at him.

"No," I replied with a saccharine smile.  "I stole the vest and like to ride around and ask for packages.  I just have really great luck and go to business that use PE."  I sighed with annoyance, and looked at the scribble on the ticket.  "We got a call from a…" I squinted at the writing.  "M, or J, could be Q, whatever, Hamlin that a package needed to be picked up."

His jaw clinched.  "There's no package to be picked up," he said coldly.  Was there no package, or did he not want to mention it?

"Computer disks," I read.  "They were brought here Wednesday, and like now they need to be picked up."  I looked back at him.  "Am I on some kind of TV show or something, because we got the call today, and I got like fifty runs to make."

"I think I should call Packages Express," he said with this "got you now" expression.  "I would love to know why they sent two couriers in one day."

I raised an eyebrow at him.  "Was it a guy or girl that picked it up?" I asked.  "Because there's another Chris there, and he's always, you know, grabbing my runs up on the board since like they totally started paying us by the run."  Stinky looked over at the receptionist.

"It was a young man," she replied.  Whew!  Guessed good.  "He picked it up and was supposed to take it to the field site."  Field?  Back to the construction site?  With the dogs and the mud?  I hate my boss.  I hate myself more because I knew I where I was going to be tonight.  It was only morning though.  I had to fight back a smile.  As long as he wasn't overly exhausted…

"I guess there was a mistake," I said with an embarrassed little smile.  "I guess two couriers are better than not getting one at all though.  Sorry 'bout that."  I turned and scurried away quickly back to the car.  It was parked down the street in an alley between two abandoned buildings, so we didn't have to worry about a camera catching us.

I got into the car quickly.  "Guess where we get to go tonight," I said, not hiding my disgust.

"Least we're prepared for the dogs," Justin replied with a smile.  "The crew is probably there today, and I don't think we should try to courier angle twice."

I nodded.  "A little genetically engineered knocking tonight might just be the best bet."  He nodded in agreement.  We looked at each other.  It was going to be hours until dark.  I never thought a norm could move faster than me.  Justin's reaction time to flipping me into the backseat proved me wrong.  I would have said something, but it just isn't polite to talk with your mouth full.


	17. Back to Work

Justin Deepthought Deepthought 1 0 2001-11-01T22:53:00Z 2001-11-01T22:53:00Z 5 1922 10961 Deepthought 91 21 13460 9.2720 

Justin

"Almost dark," Jhondie said softly.  I yawned and stretched, watching her graceful form standing by her bedroom window.  I wasn't sure if I was totally reenergized or exhausted.  My fingers were laced behind my head as I lay on her bed, not really wanting to move.  It had been one hell of a day.

I hadn't exactly meant to throw Jhondie in the backseat and ravage her, it just happened.  It hit me that we had all day before we had to get back to work, and the next thing I knew, I had her back there.  She had this shocked look that I managed to out-move her, but after about thirty seconds, her look was totally different.  She wasn't complaining about the accommodations, and I was pretty sure that if I tried to stop, I would get hurt.

Afterwards, we had to sneak back to my house to get some things for tonight.  I had a feeling that I wasn't going to be getting back to my house until very late, and as soon as Jhondie and I could be alone for any length of time, we weren't going to be in a mood to tolerate interruptions that were work-related.  Jhondie had a few pieces of equipment she kept at my place, and I wanted to pick up some of my notes and the like.  We were going to work tonight no matter what.

Dad had the twins out, but I didn't know for how long, so we had to move fast.  If he came back with them, I'd be stuck with the brats, and the last thing I wanted was them whining that I duct taped and locked them in the trunk while Jhondie and I were otherwise occupied.  Jhondie got the stuff she wanted, and I was having a hard time finding my disks.  There was a couple that I knew I had tossed on my desk the night before, or at least I thought I did, but I couldn't find them for anything.  Jhondie had more than once warned me about my lack of organizational skills.  I was just glad that she wasn't in the mood to tease me about them today.  I must have left the disks in the trunk of the car.  I meant to go look for them, but once we got back into the car, all it took was a look from Jhondie, and I peeled rubber getting over to her place.

I insisted on making a quick stop at a drug store before getting back to her house.  Despite her insistence, I would rather err on the side of caution.  Well, at least in this situation.  And while I was thinking rationally.  We still managed to get back to her house in record time, and except for about an hour or so break, Eye's Only was the last thing on either of our minds.  I couldn't get enough of her, and she wasn't trying to discourage me in the slightest.  Late in the afternoon I slept for a while, waking up when Jhondie shook me to let me know it was getting dark.

"I think this is one of the few times I've ever been tempted to tell him that we just couldn't get what he needed," I commented.  She smiled.  God, she was beautiful, just standing at the window wearing my shirt.  I supposed technically she wasn't as beautiful as Denise, but the way she smiled and moved and those incredible green eyes of hers made her the most beautiful woman that I'd ever seen.

Jhondie crawled back into bed, straddling me.  "You would really skip out on the boss just for a few more hours of us?" she teased.

"Baby, if you don't get off of me, you're going to get more of an answer than you want," I replied quite honestly.  There was something about her that I just could not resist.  Work was important, but she was so much more than mere important.  It wasn't something I could express in words, but I hoped she could get what I was trying to say even without saying it.

She slid off of me with a smile.  Death, destruction and despair.  Broken world.  Calamity.  Remember those.  Mrs. Harris wasn't coming back until Sunday afternoon.  There was still Saturday to get revenge on Jhondie for that sensual little slide.  Oh yes, much revenge.  True, I had promised to do something with the twins and get them out of Dad's hair, but having them count carpet fibers in the trunk counted as something.

We got dressed quickly.  I favored jeans for night work like this, while Jhondie had this black cat suit that she preferred.  She said it was easier for her to do jumps in spandex rather than denim.  I couldn't argue much as she slid a jacket over it.  I would much rather watch her work in spandex than denim any night of the week.

She pulled her hair back from her face, but let the back hang long.  There had only been one time that I'd seen her let her barcode be exposed, and that was when she was not Jhondie.  She had been X5-182 right then, tracking the killer of Dr. Harris.  I could only hope that was the last time I ever saw X5-182 ever again.  I had never been afraid of Jhondie, but 182 had scared the hell out of me.

Jhondie had a small bag that she kept her things in.  Lock pick kit.  Some rope.  Tweezers.  A knife.  There were a few pieces of metal that she said were essential.  I didn't question.  She was far better trained in this than I was.  This time we also included some hamburger laced with animal tranquilizers that we'd picked up today from Dr. Lee (we hadn't spent every moment of the day in her bedroom, but it was the fastest round-trip ever).  I wasn't sure where Dr. Lee got his stuff, but it had always worked.

It was full dark when we left.  I had called Dad earlier and told him that Jhondie and I were going to a club, so he wasn't expecting us until late.  We were going to have to be much more careful this time since they possibly had their wind up that there was something wrong.  I was hoping they hadn't called the courier service and found out about the story.  If so, the disks were sure to be long gone, and I didn't want to have to tell the boss why we lost the evidence.  He might be able to appreciate why we didn't break into the office Wednesday night; he would not be amused to hear we were too busy to go after it today.

We went to the place where we'd hidden Jhondie's car the first time we'd tried breaking in.  It was far enough away that we could run it, but it not be noticed.  There weren't many people out, even with curfew not being rigorously enforced.  We kept to the shadows, Jhondie walking ahead of me.  If she got caught with that kind of equipment by the cops, they would try to arrest her.  She could get away and I could be an innocent bystander.  It was a little embarrassing hiding behind my girlfriend, but sometimes you just had to accept the facts.  She was designed for this kind of thing.  I was learning from her, not the other way around.

We made it to the construction yard with no problems.  I made a hand gesture to her.  Are you ready?  She smiled and got out the hamburger.  She slunk around the fence, and after a few seconds, I heard growls.  There was the slobbering sound of dogs eating, and then in a few minutes, nothing but silence.  Jhondie came back around, and made a gesture.  All clear.  I nodded.

She jumped the fence easily, picked the lock, and let me in.  The front gates locked on the outside, but this back one had to be locked from the inside.  I guess they thought someone breaking in would have an easier time going through the front, but they would be more likely to get caught.  Most people weren't expecting a rogue super-soldier to be the one breaking in.  Within seconds security was disabled, and we were in.

Our plan was a little different this time.  Since Jhondie didn't need any light in there, she was going in while I stood watch.  Not that I was really expecting anything to happen.  Nobody had any clue we were even there.  I walked around the trailer, keeping to the shadows.  I couldn't hear the slightest sound from inside.  Damn, she was good.

There was a slight sound from where the dogs were.  I crept towards them carefully, hoping none were waking up.  I wasn't sure if maybe there was an animal on the outside of the fence or what, but it was worth checking out, even if it was too dark to make out five feet in front of me.  The dogs were still sleeping, and I let out my breath in relief.  And that was when I felt something slam me in the back, knocking me face first into the gravel.

Jhondie

I rooted around the office carefully, looking for the safe where the disks were.  I finally found it disguised as a desk.  Pretty clever actually.  The safe part of it was actually where the drawers were.  I went to pull one out, and then noticed the tiny hinges.  A normal thief wouldn't have been able to see them, but normal was not a word that had ever been used to describe me.  The drawers were a façade.  Behind them was a nice heavy safe.  It had an electronic keypad system and tumblers.  Either one would be a pain to crack.  Together, they were impossible.  You'd have to remove the safe and then spend hours trying to open it without using explosives.  Or you would call your favorite transgenic to come and lend a hand.

It took me three minutes.  I opened them, and there was a box with the courier label still attached.  I opened it, and there were the disks.  I grinned.  The boss was going to be so pleased.  I put everything back how I had found it, not wanting them to guess until the last possible moment that there had been a break-in.  Hopefully by then the evidence would be uploaded to the boss, and he would be well pleased with us yet again.

A sound outside caught my attention.  Steps on gravel.  Wasn't Justin.  He had moved a little while before.  This was from the wrong direction that Justin had gone.  I grabbed the disks quickly, jumping to my feet when I heard the thud.  Somebody had just eaten dirt.  I would like to say I kept calm and cool and ran out their, beat up whoever had gone after Justin, and we ran off with the evidence, but that didn't happen.  The love of my life was in danger, and I basically panicked.

I ran out to the porch area, grabbing the railing to jump over the side.  I vaguely felt something hit me from behind, making me stumble a step.  In that moment of blind desperation to get to Justin, I didn't even notice dropping the disks.  I lashed out in a roundhouse kick, feeling myself making contact with a body.  There was a feminine cry as I slammed into her, but I didn't stay to see if I had done any real damage.  I was over the railing in a flash, running around to the back of the trailer, ready to kill whatever had dared to touch him.

"You don't ever touch my sister again!" came a menacing growl from the guy standing over Justin who was flat on his back.  Mitchell?  Who cared, he was a dead man.

In a move that impressed even me, Justin lashed out quickly, catching the side of Mitchell's knees with his foot, knocking the big guy off balance.  Justin was on his feet in an instant, in an attack stance that I had taught him.  I paused for a moment.  Mitchell was bigger, but Justin was far smarter and had been given self-defense lessons by a trained should-have-been assassin.

"I never laid a finger on her," Justin said quietly, but not dropping his guard.  "She picked the fight with Jhondie, she got what she deserved."

"No girl can do that!" Mitchell declared, and then took a powerful swing at Justin.  I could see the muscles bunching in his arms.  A guy like that could break bones with a single hit.

Justin ducked to the left, grabbing Mitchell's wrist and letting his momentum carry the big guy right into his knee.  He followed up with an elbow into Mitch's kidney.  I winced; trust me, that's one of the more painful things you can do to another human being.  Justin whipped around, dropping his knee and using his elbow to shove Mitchell forward.  Mitchell fell onto the ground, rolling over, groaning.  Justin was smirking, still in an attack stance.  Pretty hot looking actually.

"Guess you don't need help," I said in a low voice.

He shot me a glance.  "It's covered.  You got the…" his words were cut off as Mitchell grabbed a handful of dirt and pebbles, throwing it into Justin's face.  He came off of the ground, his far greater weight shoving Justin backwards into the side of the trailer.  One meaty hand pulled back in a fist while the other latched around Justin's throat.

He never got the chance to make contact.  One second I was ten feet away from them, the next I had Mitchell's wrist in hand.  For once I didn't even think about exposure or being a weak girl.  The palm of my hand landed on the bridge of his nose, blood squirting in a fine spray as I felt the bone and cartilage fracture under my hand.  He howled, falling back off of Justin.  I caught him hard with a kick to the solar plexus, and then a fast spin kick to the side of the head.  He slumped to the ground, breathing, but not moving.  Good enough.

"You okay?" I asked Justin quickly.  He was rubbing his throat, but nodded.

"I could have handled him," he said.  Was he teasing me or was it a testosterone thing?

I gave him a tiny smile.  "I know…we just watch our partner's back, right?" I said quickly.  He smiled at me and shook his head lightly.

"You found the disks?" he asked.  My smile collapsed and I looked down at my empty hands.  Oh hell!

"Jhondie?" Justin said my name warningly.  Our eyes met.

"Some chick hit me, and I dropped them," I whispered.  Girl.  Mitchell was here.  Girl hit me.

"Denise!" we both chorused, running like hell around the side of the trailer.


	18. Final Showdown

Justin Deepthought Deepthought 1 1 2001-11-03T13:27:00Z 2001-11-03T13:28:00Z 5 1838 10481 Deepthought 87 20 12871 9.2720 

Justin

We came around the edge of the trailer, but there wasn't a soul or the disks around.  Jhondie looked around quickly, her night vision making the shadows clear to her.  "There!" she called out, pointing to the scaffolding.  I couldn't see anything, but I trusted her vision more than my own.  We started running again, Jhondie remembering not to run full out.  Denise was not the person to be showing off in front of.  Mitchell was dumb enough not to remember in the morning.  He was lucky to remember to put on pants every morning.

The construction was for a twenty-story building.  They had demolished several old ones, and it was supposed to be this economic recovery thing, rebuilding the city even better than before.  All I knew is right at that moment, it was being polluted by a hell-beast, and I wasn't talking about the guy EO was trying to nail.  Denise's uncle had been a foreman for a construction company, and she had spent time at construction sites.  She wasn't afraid of the equipment or anything, and from the way she was sprinting to the elevator, she hadn't forgotten how to use it either.

We hit the edge of the building, and heard the elevator rumbling on it's way up.  Damn!  I wasn't sure what she was trying to accomplish, but time was running short, and the last thing we needed was for her to get caught at the top of the building by the police.  I wasn't going to risk having her questioned, and I wasn't going to let the boss down and leave without the disks.  Only one way to do that, and that way was up.

"There another elevator?" I asked Jhondie, looking around.  I couldn't see one, but that didn't mean she couldn't.

"Don't see one," she muttered, and then looked up.  "Bet I can meet her up there."  The floors were laid out at about ten foot intervals with enough stuff for climbing and jumping onto, if you could jump ten feet straight up that is.  Jhondie could.  I grabbed her arm quickly.

"No," I whispered quickly, knowing exactly what she was planning on doing.  "There isn't anything on those disks worth exposing yourself like that."

"But…" she protested.

"But, nothing," I interrupted.  "He'll just be disappointed.  You're worth more."

I wasn't sure exactly why, but a brilliant smile slipped across her face.  "Distraction," she murmured.  I could only hope it made sense to her.  Whatever.  Genetically engineered or not, there were certainly similarities to all females.  They were incomprehensible to us poor males.  "Okay," she said a little more clearly, "we'll do this your way, but I am going to kick her ass."  I could live with that.

It took several minutes, but we got the elevator back and went up, Jhondie looking for what floor Denise might be on.  I had an idea what her plans were.  She wanted us to get up there, and then she would go back down, lock the elevator, and run like hell.  At least that's what someone with a foot in the land of sanity would do.  What Denise was actually planning could be anything.

About fifteen stories up, Jhondie hit the stop button, and was out in a flash, moving quickly to the right.  The moon had come out from behind some clouds, so I could see a little better than before.  Denise couldn't see much better than I, and Jhondie was moving with absolute silence.  In a few seconds Denise was going to be getting a very nasty surprise.

I followed Jhondie, moving much more carefully to stay on the beams.  Jhondie might be able to survive a fall at this distance, but I knew my chances were nil.  I caught the shadow Jhondie was moving towards and headed for it as well as quickly as I could.  The shadow was moving towards the edge of the building where some beams were sticking out from the side.

I was almost there when I heard the first shout.  Denise.  "Get away from me!" she screamed.

"Those are mine!" Jhondie snarled back.  "You give them to me right now and I'll let you keep the nails on your other hand."  For the barest moment I was tempted to just go back to the car and wait this one out.  I was pissed as hell at Denise, and if I weren't there to restrain Jhondie, Denise would really get what she deserved.  Psycho had managed to screw up a chunk of my life, and now she was going for my career.  Telling Jhondie to have some fun and clean the blood off of her before she got into the car was looking like a pretty good idea.

My misbegotten sense of responsibility kicked in, and I got to Jhondie anyways.  They were on two parallel beams about fifteen feet apart.  There were a couple of ropes connecting them, and I noticed Jhondie glancing at them a couple of times.  They were tied to Denise's end, and since Jhondie wasn't going to jump it, she was thinking about doing some tightrope walking.

Denise saw me, and then held out her hand, letting the disks dangle over the side.  There was some machinery below, and a fifteen-story fall would destroy the disks the minute they hit below.  "Tell her the truth!" she demanded.  What truth?  The girl didn't know what the word meant.  "Tell her right now that you invited me over last night!  When we were alone in the kitchen, you begged me to come back.  Tell her the truth!" she cried.  If I didn't know better, I'd swear she was telling the truth.

Jhondie jerked, and I knew if I didn't have my hands on her shoulders, she was going to jump over there and there wouldn't be a problem with witnesses.  Denise wouldn't survive the encounter.  "You are insane," I said calmly.  "And those don't belong to you."

"Your little girlfriend was stealing them," she said in almost a teasing voice.  "They belong to whoever has them in hand."  She twirled them.  "My hands now, and I don't want to give them to a liar," she continued, screaming the last word.  She knew damn well what it was doing to me to watch her toy with those disks like they were nothing.

"Let's go," I said to Jhondie, assuming a don't-give-a-damn attitude.  "Not like those are all that important anyways."  I went to turn, but Denise's laughter stopped me cold.

"I saw your notes, baby," she said with a little sigh.  "My darling brother Taylor got right into those disks on your desk, and I know you need these to write some silly little article."  I could see from the way her body relaxed that she was trying to be seductive.  It's hard to describe, but she had this little way of liquefying her body, with her hand on her hip, and it used to drive me wild with lust.  She was right there, doing it, and for once, the only thing I felt was revulsion.  She didn't compare in the slightest to what I already had.  "I've always wanted you to let me in, my love.  Let me help you.  See, I can be a help to your work.  I'm everything you want, everything you need.  I have what you want most right here.  She threw them away, but I have them.  All's forgiven sweetheart."

Thank you God, that there were just notes on my disks and nothing to do with who I was getting them for.  EO didn't broadcast in Boston.  If I could get what I needed from Denise, she would never know whom I worked for.  Bloody hell, that would be a disaster if she found out.  My mouth opened to say the words that she wanted to hear, whatever was required to get what I needed, but I couldn't say them.  Eye's Only was not worth hurting Jhondie over, and no matter what she might say later, hearing my say anything close to what Denise wanted to hear would hurt her.

"The person that is everything I want and need is on this side," I said slowly to Denise.  Jhondie looked up at me in surprise.  She was expecting to hear lies.  "You need to go home and stalk someone new for a change.  I want those disks, and I want you gone."

"You bastard!" she screamed.  She held the disks up, her entire body trembling with fury.  "You want them so bad, you can have them."  Her fingers opened, the disks tumbling towards the ground.

I didn't even have a second to reconsider my words.  Jhondie was beside me, and then she was gone, one of the ropes snaking behind her.  I leaned over and saw her free falling after the disks, and then the rope went taunt, and her cry of triumph all I needed to hear.  I looked up at Denise to gloat, but she hadn't noticed how she was standing.  The rope had been tied to her beam, and a small curve of it was lying on the metal.  It went taunt behind her ankle, knocking her forward.  She screamed in terror this time, her hands grabbing at the metal support beams beside her, but the bandages on her injured hand wouldn't let her grab hold.

I made a grab for her, but there was no way.  I looked down in horror, expecting to see her fall to the ground below.  The rope had a swing to it, and suddenly Jhondie was there, doing an odd flip on the rope, entangling her leg, and at the last possible second, catching Denise's wrist.  They swung in a lazy pendulum, and I knew I had better work fast.  The last thing we needed was Jhondie's cat DNA coming out and her deciding to play with something before she ate it alive.

There were some pulleys over near the elevator and some more ropes.  Work for Eye's Only.  Meet amazing people, and do amazing things.  Save the world.  As I headed for the elevator, I wondered if it was too late to think about an exciting career as a dental hygienist.  

Jhondie

I didn't want to do it.  I swear I didn't.  I have no idea why I did, really.  The look on Denise's face was almost worth it though when my hand clamped around her wrist.  Little old me was the only thing keeping her from being spread all over the construction yard below.  My leg was twisted up in the rope, leaving me free to hold on to her with one hand and hold the disks with the other.  She glanced at my other hand, eyes bulging with terror when she realized what I would let go of first.

"Hi!" I said brightly, smiling down at her.  

"Please don't drop me," she whimpered.

I didn't lose my smile.  "Why would I drop you just yet?" I asked with so much saccharine that her lower lip started trembling.  She was sure she was dead.  "I was hoping you and I would get a chance to have a little girl-talk."

"You're crazy!" she cried.  That was the pot calling the kettle black.  Her next words were suddenly changed into a gasp of terror as she felt my fingers open.  She slid for a fraction of a second before they tightened around her wrist against.

"You really don't want to talk unless you're answering a direct question," I informed her.  "It makes me lose my concentration, and you don't want me to do that do you?"

She looked down desperately, and then back up, shaking her head.  I glanced up.  Justin was doing something, hopefully to get us either back down or back up.  My arm was pulling a little, and the rope was cutting into my leg.  I wasn't even close to falling, but it was becoming uncomfortable.  Time to deal with her though.

"Now, I want to ask you to think about something, and make a firm decision about future decisions, okay?" I said to Denise.  Her eyes were huge.  This was actually just a little bit fun.

"Oh my God, you're going to kill me," she sobbed out.

"That depends on your answer," I replied calmly.  "Now, the next time you have an ex tell you he's not interested, and he's got a new girlfriend, what are you going to say to him?"

"Nothing?" she gasped, trying to come up with the right answer.  I let my hand open for a second, getting a tiny scream out of her before catching her again.

"Wrong!" I declared.  "You are going to say 'I'm so happy for you' before walking away.  You do know how to walk away, don't you?"

She nodded wildly, tears of terror streaming down her face.  "Now," I continued in a tone I would use with a small child.  "This boy Bradley, is he real or a product of your demented imagination?"

"Real," she sniffed.

"Good!  And you've got him completely fooled like you were claiming at dinner?"

"He's not…" she protested, her words choking off as she felt my fingers relax slightly.  "Our families think us staying together would be advantageous."  I liked the thought of that even better.

"Well that's just wonderful for both of you," I said.  "As a matter of fact, when he does ask you to marry him, *I* think that you saying yes would be advantageous.  You know, I think I want an invitation, just so I will know for sure that such an advantageous union is going to take place, you got that?"  She nodded, her hair flying about.

"I'll send one," she babbled.  "I'll say yes and never talk to Justin again I swear just please don't drop me I'll send you an invitation!"  

"You have yourself a deal," I said coldly.  There was a jerk on my leg, and we started to go up.  I wasn't sure what Justin was doing, but I was glad for it all to be over once and for all.


	19. Epilogue

Justin Deepthought Deepthought 1 0 2001-11-03T13:32:00Z 2001-11-03T13:32:00Z 3 1053 6005 Deepthought 50 12 7374 9.2720 

Justin

"So this is going to help?" I asked the boss late Sunday afternoon.  He gave me a look that I could interpret as 'quit smirking, you know you did good work'.

"It's an excellent starting point," he replied.  "Has there been much said about a break-in?"

"Not on the news," I replied.  I had watched that morning and they hadn't said anything.  "But since we always clean up after ourselves, they might not discover it until tomorrow anyways."  I couldn't help the slight bragging there.  We did a damn fine job of cleaning up considering who was there with us.  Mitchell had just been regaining consciousness when we got back to him.

He staggered to his feet slightly, looking at Jhondie and me warily.  Jhondie shoved Denise at him.  I spoke up quickly before Jhondie said something to get him to make another go at it.  He wasn't bright enough to know when he was beaten.  "Just go," I said firmly.  "Unless you want the world to know you got beat up by a girl, just leave and keep your mouth shut."

He opened his mouth, but Denise stopped him.  "Take me home," she whimpered, her eyes wide and terrified.  She shot Jhondie a look of total fear.  Jhondie smiled back serenely.  "I want to go back to Boston," she said in that same frightened tone that I had never heard from Denise before.  I had no idea what Jhondie had said to her, but I was so glad she had.

They left, and then we did a bit of cleaning and then took off.  We had to make sure the camera hadn't recorded any sound.  It hadn't and then we had one more stop to make before going home.  This time I had to admit Jhondie needed to do it on her own.  There was no way I could follow her into the construction company's headquarters so that she could grab the security tapes from that morning and make sure they were taped over.  She was back in minutes and we were gone, all evidence of what had happened that morning gone for good.

The boss looked to the left and right and then asked, "is something wrong with LAX?"  He actually sounded concerned.

"She's…" I began, but was cut off.

"She's right here," Jhondie said, walking into my room.  She shut the door and locked it.  Dad was with Jackie and the twins were playing with some friends, but we still had to be careful.  Jhondie came around so that she could see the monitor, and then perched on the edge of my bed.  "I had some cleaning to do," she explained brightly.  "I'd say that I was sorry for being late, but you two got started early."

"Cleaning?" he questioned.  I had said everything was fine.

"Mud tends to need to be cleaned once it dries to the linoleum," Jhondie replied slowly.  She had gone home to clean up before her mother came home and asked questions about a mess here and there.  Jhondie wasn't supposed to be home this weekend.

EO seemed relieved.  "Well, I'll let you two get back to enjoying your weekend," he said, and then glanced down at something.  "I think you two should be off duty through the rest of the holidays, unless, of course, you find something of interest on your own."  Like that had never happened before.  I glanced over at Jhondie.  I was probably going to be busy over the next few weeks anyways to be sniffing for trouble.

"We'll let you know if we find something," I replied.  He gave me a curt nod and then was gone.

I spun around in my chair to face Jhondie.  "Denise left yesterday evening," I informed her.  "As of now, she is probably cowering under her bed somewhere in Boston."

Jhondie gave me a little smile.  "I wasn't over the top about her, was I?"

"No," I replied, obviously meaning yes.  I held out my arms to her, and she curled up in my lap.  "You know she's ancient history, right?"

Jhondie gave me a quick kiss.  "I do.  I just didn't know I was the jealous type."  She snuggled closer.  "I love you," she said softly.

I hugged her to me.  In my wildest imaginations, I couldn't have dreamt up Jhondie, and it had nothing to do with DNA.  She was my soulmate.  Forever would come one step at a time.  For now, I had her with me, and that was what counted most.  "It's scary," I said softly, making her look up at me.  "I never knew I could feel like this for anyone, and I'm only at the beginning of loving you."  She didn't reply.  She didn't have to.  The sweetness of our kiss said everything that needed to be said.

Jhondie

I could have sat with Justin for hours, just cuddled in his lap.  I felt so…so complete when I was with him.  A year ago and I didn't know he existed.  Now I couldn't imagine living without him.  I had never been with a person, including my own family, which accepted me so completely and without reservation.  Even though I wasn't ready to tell him all the details about my past that I knew he was curious about, I did believe that someday I would find the courage to tell him, and when I did, he would accept it, and love me anyways.

I made the mistake of glancing at my watch.  I was on my feet in a flash, almost knocking over the chair.  Justin caught the edge of the desk, giving me a huge "what the hell?" look.  "I had to leave for the airport like ten minutes ago!" I explained hurriedly.  It wasn't fair that it was so easy to lose track of time when I was with Justin.  I kissed him quickly and ran out the door, promising myself to get him back later for laughing at me as I fled the house.

I sped like crazy, and managed to get to the gate exactly three minutes before the plane started unloading.  I managed to breathe normally and not look like I had just sprinted down the terminal as Mom and Kayla got off of the plane.  Kayla ignored me and ran straight to the bathroom.  Mom laughed.

"She's had to go since Texas, I think," she informed me.  "She refused to try and use the plane's bathroom."  I laughed like hell.  That was teasing ammunition to last until after New Year.  "So," she asked.  "Anything exciting happen this weekend?"

There is a perk to spending your early childhood in military training.  You learn not to react when someone asks you something that really hits home.  "Ummm…we had a good dinner, but it was pretty ordinary overall," I replied.  Her eyebrows shot up.

"Ordinary?" she questioned.  "Jhondie, I'm well aware of your definition of 'ordinary'."  She glared at me.  "I told you to behave!"

I started laughing.  I couldn't help it.  Kayla walked out and gave me her patented 'you-have-lost-your-mind' look.  "What are you on and why aren't you sharing?" she asked me crisply.  "I'm the one that just spent a weekend with our grandparents.  I need it more."  Now Mom joined in my laughter.  Kay just looked annoyed.

"Has anyone told you lately how strange you are?" she asked with an air of superiority.

I grinned.  "Little sister, you have no idea."  I put my arm around her.  "So tell me everything," I ordered.  She smiled and started with Irene setting off the metal detectors at the airport and almost getting arrested because she refused to admit to having a metal pin in her hip (only old people have that) and getting nasty with security when they tried to wave her down with the wand.

The three of us departed together.  So much had changed in the course of just of few days.  I shouldn't be surprised.  Good things take time to happen.  Great things happen all at once.

THE END


End file.
